


The Jewel of Starlight

by arieshwa



Category: ATEEZ (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Alternate Universe - Not K-Pop Idols, Elves, Gen, Mystical Creatures, Princes & Princesses, Royalty, Vampires, War, Were-Creatures, Werewolves, Wizards, kpop
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-12-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:20:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 37,362
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24394174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/arieshwa/pseuds/arieshwa
Summary: Brought together by the impending vampire-human war, eight men from vastly different origins band together on a quest to find a long-forgotten artifact that will restore order to the continent of Gudae.
Comments: 19
Kudos: 43





	1. The Sunless Mountain

"Your Majesty."

The prince stood before the king and bowed, his black and red outer garments crinkling with the movement. The great hall, usually filled with the bickering of the court and the simmering rage of the king, was now silent as the heir to the throne of the Sunless Mountain announced his return.

"You have returned from frolicking in the glorified tundra, I see," His Majesty scoffed, his booming voice filling the silent hall as his dark red eyes looked down at his only son.

"I have, Your Majesty," the prince replied bitterly as he straightened out from his bow, being careful not to look up at the glaring eyes resembling his own.

"Crown Prince Seonghwa, it is good to see that you have returned to the Sunless Mountain," Master Cho, leader of the Cho Clan of the Western Peak, greeted.

"Indeed," Lady Shin, leader of the Shin Clan of the Northern Peak, added icily, "it is good to see that the Crown Prince remembers which is his home."

Seonghwa contemplated a response but decided it was best not to anger the court he would more than likely inherit. He would no doubt have time for that once he succeeds his father though he hopes they themselves would have all been succeeded by their heirs by then.

The great hall remained silent for a moment, for once Lady Shin spoke, no one would dare challenge. She was a stern woman with sharp features and eyes so dark they were almost the color of a starless night sky.

"Has the Snow King enlightened us with any _useful_ information or was your journey over to the Glass Kingdom just for pleasure?" King Park asked, his patience wearing thin.

"He's stated nothing we haven't heard before, Your Majesty," Seonghwa replied tensely.

Members of the court snickered at the answer. This Crown Prince of theirs, though promising in skill and talent, was terribly unmotivated in his kingdom's affairs, leading them to view him as a good-for-nothing failure that they hope may be succeeded by one of their own. However, with one glance from the Crown Prince, the hall was once again silent. He may have been viewed as a good-for-nothing heir, but he still inherited the same deadly gaze and dominating aura of his father.

"So it seems to be the latter," His Majesty sighed disapprovingly, "you may go; there are people that are actually trying to be productive members of society."

"Yes, Your Majesty," Seonghwa said with a bow before leaving the great hall with the grace only a member of the royal family could possess.

He retreated to his often unoccupied quarters which consisted of an entire section of the palace reserved only for him and those that served him. It was a servant's dream to work in the Crown Prince's quarters since there was barely any work to be done. The Crown Prince spent most of his time in the Glass Kingdom, a beautiful kingdom carved into the Mountains of Perrenial Winter. This meant that there was no one to attend to for the greater part of the year. Though even when he _was_ in the Sunless Mountain, the Crown Prince's neat and orderly nature also meant that the multitude of servants did not have much to do other than simply enjoy the fact that they live in such a beautiful palace.

Before reaching the personal library he often cooped himself up in when visiting his kingdom, Seonghwa stopped to admire the stream that flowed through his quarters. The stream glistened ironically with the light of the sunset casting down upon it.

Despite the kingdom's name, the mountain range in which the kingdom stood was filled with daylight. It was only named the Sunless Mountain because the inhabitants were the descendants of the Night Legion, a group of rogue vampires who destroyed the oppressive regime of the Heavenly Kingdom. The Heavenly Kingdom was arrogant and likened themselves to the Sun, using it as a motif to signify dominance over all vampires. To spite the spirits of the dead leaders of the Heavenly Kingdom, the Night Legion, who also named their legion out of spite for their enemy, named their growing empire the Sunless Mountain.

The history was well-known by the subjects of the Sunless Mountain. The Night Legion, once led by six rebels, united under one leader. Park Kyunghwa was the eldest of the group and the most well-received by the members of the legion. She became the first monarch of the Sunless Mountain with the support of the other five leaders, Shin Hyunjin, Cho Ilwoo, Hwang Jiyoung, Woo Jinseok, and Jeon Yoonsung. These leaders created clans within the kingdom which later became known as the Five Great Clans of the Mountain, or the Five Clans for short.

Just as Seonghwa was about to continue to make his way towards the library, he heard the hushed voices of a group of servants from a near distance.

"So _that's_ the Crown Prince? I heard he was handsome, but the word 'handsome' feels like a wildly insulting understatement," one of the servants, a girl, mused.

"He's away for so long, I often almost forget just how breathtaking he is. It's like a celestial being has graced us with his presence," another servant, this time a boy, fawned.

"How can you forget a face like that?!" another servant questioned incredulously.

"I said 'almost', you dimwitted toad," the boy retorted, finally forcing out the embarrassed laughter Seonghwa tried to hold back when he started overhearing their conversation.

The sound of Seonghwa's laughter both alarmed and enchanted the group of servants. This was enough of a distraction for them not to notice the threatening presence looming behind them.

"Is this really how the servants of the Crown Prince behave themselves?"

The servants quickly turned to see the owner of the voice, which pierced the air like ice-cold daggers, and felt that their souls almost left their bodies upon seeing who it was behind them.

"Lady Shin," Seonghwa called out, having also turned around after having recognized the voice.

Lady Shin stood proudly, her waving red robes making her look like a goddess who had come down from the heavens to bring justice to a broken world.

"Your Highness," Lady Shin bowed, making her way to where Seonghwa was standing.

Seeing that neither Lady Shin nor the Crown Prince was paying them any mind, the servants scurried away, grateful to have escaped with their lives.

"What brings you here, Lady Shin?" Seonghwa asked.

"Am I not allowed to visit my nephew when I please or is that suddenly forbidden?" Lady Shin scoffed before giving Seonghwa a gentle smile.

Seonghwa's mother, the late Queen of the Sunless Mountain, was Lady Shin's sister. When his mother passed away, Lady Shin took it upon herself to raise her sister's son to make sure the king, a man known for his boiling temper, did not pass on his fiery personality to his son. She raised him between the palace and the Northern Peak, teaching him the importance of righteousness. However, unlike the other disciples of the Shin Clan, Lady Shin taught Seonghwa that being kind and understanding was also just as important as being stern and just. These were things the other disciples would have been taught at home, so she only did so in order to ensure that Seonghwa and the other disciples were receiving the same education. Besides, her sister was the softer one of the two and would no doubt want her son to be fluent in empathy and compassion.

"I have not known you to ever show up unannounced to someone else's dwelling," Seonghwa responded, returning the smile.

Lady Shin sighed, looking out to the horizon. The sky had already become dark, and the reflection of the twinkling stars replaced the glaring sun in the gurgling stream.

"Does what you came here to say weigh down upon you so heavily, Lady Shin?" Seonghwa asked, looking down at his aunt with concern.

"Why don't we find a more private place to speak, my dear boy? The information I am relaying onto you is not one for all ears to hear."


	2. The Woodland Tower

The fallen leaves rustled in the wake of an unknown figure dashing through the forest. Two guards of the Woodland Tower followed close behind the dashing figure. The guards heaved begrudgingly, wondering how a person who they thought seemed so meek could possess such athletic ability. The pair had been chasing the figure in a full sprint for what seemed like an entire afternoon. The innate athletic ability of elves was far beyond those of humans, but it still did not explain how the figure pranced around the woods endlessly without breaking a sweat.

One of the guards, having had enough of the cat and mouse game, started to slow down gradually. It was his duty to keep chasing after the woodland elf, but he could not help the tiredness of his body. His mind also grew weary as this was not the first time such an event had occurred.

Just as he was ready to give up, the elf suddenly came to a halt, prompting the guards to stop dead in their tracks and keep a watchful eye. They started inching closer, being careful not to alert the figure of their presence. If the person knew that they were being followed, they would flee once more, restarting the exhausting chase neither guard was mentally nor physically in the state for.

"Are you alright, my good friend?" the figure asked, with a voice as smooth and soft as the finest silk money could buy.

The figure bent down, scooping up a lump of brown fur in their arms. Seeing that the elf was distracted, the guards quickened their pace. Now they were just mere feet away.

"Fret not, dear friend. I'll take you back home and make sure your wounds are healed. Then, you can go back to your own home. Trust me, for now," the sweet voice reassured, the depth in pitch creating a soothing contrast to the honey-like tone.

The voice was so calming that hearing it felt almost like a lullaby. It was a gentle tune that could heal the soul and ease the mind. A voice with healing ability, like that of the elf the guards had been chasing, was indicative of an individual's talent in medicine and healing.

The guards were now directly behind the elf. Despite their close proximity, the mysterious wanderer, knowing full well that the guards were behind him, remained calm.

"The chase is over for now. Our precious friend here is in need of assistance," the man said as he turned, an injured brown rabbit held cautiously in his arms.

"Yes, Prince Yeosang," a guard replied, relieved that the king's youngest son spared them of more exhaustion.

They made their way back to the tower in much less time than it had taken to run away from it. Yeosang considered the chase a game and would glide around trees and weave through the forest with many confusing, winding turns. This meant that the distance from the castle to the place where the injured rabbit was found was not nearly as far as it seemed. For this, the guards were relieved yet angered. They were glad the way back was not as long as they expected but annoyed at the obvious game the prince was playing.

Once in the tower, Yeosang made his way to his quarters, quickly tending to the distressed rabbit. Having concentrated solely on the task at hand, Yeosang did not hear his eldest brother enter.

The Crown Prince of the Woodland Tower was a firm, strict man. He had a disdain for playing games and other foolish nonsense that others, like Yeosang, would deem as fun. This is why Yeosang tried his best to avoid him. The Crown Prince believed that the King and Queen were far too lenient on their youngest, and having been close to a decade older, the Crown Prince felt that it was his duty to teach his youngest brother how to act in a manner fit for a prince.

The Crown Prince stood behind Yeosang and sighed deeply with an annoyed expression. This finally caught Yeosang's attention, but he felt it was more important to tend to his new friend than to waste time with pleasantries.

" _Hyungnim_ , what brings you here?" Yeosang asked nonchalantly, keeping most of his concentration on the rabbit.

"There are far better things you could have been doing with your time than running around the forest and tiring out your guards," his brother huffed.

Yeosang bandaged up the rabbit and gently placed it down on his bed. He smiled down at the rabbit before turning around and looking up at his brother.

"I'm sure there was, Your Highness," Yeosang responded, smiling as if his words didn't just fuel his brother's anger.

The Crown Prince's frustration was boiling over. He was usually a calm and sensible man, but Yeosang always found a way to push his buttons until he exploded.

"I don't understand how a prince with the talent and skill you possess could remain so docile. Don't you ever want to do anything greater with your life? You are among the most skilled in elvish medicine yet you waste it away on what? A mere _rabbit_? There are hundreds of those in the area alone; the world would not stop if a single rabbit died!"

Just as the Crown Prince finished his rant, tension rose in the air. The usually laid-back Yeosang stiffened as the air around him darkened. He did not mind the insults as they reflected more on the Crown Prince than Yeosang himself. However, he could not stand the Crown Prince's arrogant words towards the end of his rant.

"A life is a life," Yeosang fumed, "and the world will keep turning when I die and even when you die. Just because you don't find importance in the life of something smaller than you does not mean it is any less significant to the world."

The Crown Prince scoffed.

"If only you had as much passion for your kingdom as you do for a rabbit," the Crown Prince mocked.

"I am passionate about my kingdom!" Yeosang retorted.

"Then prove it," the Crown Prince said, "Father wants me to go meet with the Grandmaster of Misty Hollow. It seems with the way things are going, Father seeks council from the old wizard."

Yeosang begrudgingly listened. He did not wish to continue the conversation with his eldest brother, but with the mention of Grandmaster Jung, he felt he had no choice. Grandmaster Jung was their Father's close friend and mentor; however, with both of them being so busy with their duties as leaders, they only interacted directly once every few years. Whatever the King wanted from Grandmaster Jung must have been important if he were to send the Crown Prince.

"So you want me to go in your place," Yeosang guessed.

"Exactly. I have my own things to attend to here in the Woodland Tower, and it would be good for you to do something productive for once," the Crown Prince replied with a taunting smile.

"Father wants _you_ to go."

"I'll speak to him and tell him that you volunteered to go. Grandmaster Jung would not turn you away, and I'm sure Father will be relieved that his youngest son is finally taking his role as a prince seriously," the Crown Prince answered with a smug look.

Yeosang looked down toward the sleeping rabbit on his bed pensively. He figured he didn't have a choice; he did not have any reason to refuse and would be forced to go regardless. However, neither of his parents would allow him to leave the Woodland Tower's realm without his guards, and the thought of traveling from the Woodland Tower to Misty Hollow with the two pesky guards assigned to him made him want to roll his eyes and never set foot outside of his kingdom. He will have to dispose of them somehow.

"You leave in the morning," the Crown Prince stated after not receiving a reply.

The Crown Prince left Yeosang's quarters with a satisfied expression, leaving Yeosang and the rabbit alone. With the Crown Prince gone, Yeosang prepared the necessities for the journey ahead of him and slept next to the rabbit on his bed. He would leave earlier than scheduled, he decided. By the time the guards awoke, he would already be much too far to follow.


	3. The Cave of Beasts

The snow fell gracefully from the sky and onto the forest floor. The outskirts of the Glass Kingdom were beautifully adorned with fresh snow that would melt and mix with the dirt on the ground once morning rolled around. The outskirts, having been either cursed or spared by altitudinal zonation, did not shine as beautifully as the Glass Kingdom which was covered in snow at every hour of the day all year round.

On the outskirts thrived a small village of humans which flourished due to trade with the Glass Kingdom and neighboring villages. On the other side of the outskirts, a large cave carved into one of the many peaks of the kingdom was home to a prosperous and generally quiet group. Despite the peaceful nature of the group, the people of the village dare not near the cave. The cave's appearance was bleak and ominous; it was damp and mostly barren, giving the cave a dark, abandoned look. Its looks caused many rumors to spread through the human village nearby. The most popular rumor being that a group of man-eating beasts took shelter within it, and if one dares to enter, they would most certainly be killed and consumed without hesitation. 

However, as with most rumors, this was a wild and extremely offensive exaggeration of the truth. Indeed, beasts lived in the cave, but they were much less dangerous than they were portrayed. In fact, they lived a rather domestic and humble life. To highlight the lack of peril within the mostly empty cave, snores bounced off the walls and the several small baskets that held clothes to fit each member of the family that lived in the cave. The baskets seemed out of place without any humans around, but the baskets did, in fact, have a purpose. The owners of the clothes were just simply not in their human form, so they did not need their clothes to keep warm.

The members of the Song Pack slept in a heap of fur on the cave floor. The matriarch of the pack, however, lay awake next to her eldest son. It wasn't long since the eldest daughter of the Song Pack left to join the village. She had gone to find work in order to provide for the younger members of the pack, and now the eldest son would be leaving to find work elsewhere. It was quite dangerous for more than one werewolf to live in a human village, so he had no choice but to settle in a place further away from his home.

Just as the sun rose on the horizon, the mother of the Song children snuggled closer to her eldest son. The boy she raised for so long would soon be gone, only being able to visit sparsely due to the distance. A few more hours passed before the children stirred and the father of the pack awakened. In his wolf form, it was difficult to tell his expression, but the sadness that radiated off of his form showed that he was just as distraught as his wife over their son's parting.

The parents of the family turned back to their human form, clothing themselves before getting to work. The father gathered all the different foods he had been scavenging for his son's travels. He wrapped the items in leaves sold in the village and placed them in a neat pile while his wife packed her son's clothing. She neatly folded each article of clothing before placing it inside a large bag the eldest daughter bought for this occasion. The food was packed along with a few other necessities the eldest son might make use of in his travels.

True to his sleepy nature, the eldest son continued sleeping peacefully as his siblings woke from their slumber. One of his many joys in life was finding time to rest, something he would surely miss once he leaves the cave he calls home.

The five wake children shifted from their wolf form to their human form and put on some clothing from their respective baskets. Their expressions were sad and uneasy. They worried for their older brother, for the world was not kind to those that could change into beasts. He would not be as close as their sister who could quickly flee to them at the first sign of trouble.

"Minhyun, could you please wake your brother up?" the Song father asked their second-oldest son.

"Yes, father," Minhyun replied, making his way to the sleeping wolf.

He called his brother's name and shook him until the golden eyes that were identical to his own looked up at him. The wolf, usually annoyed when woken up, stood up from his sleeping position and turned to his human form. His tall form walked towards his basket and put on the clothes his mother had left out for him. He embraced each family member tightly for it was not known when he would return.

"Here, Mingi," his teary-eyed mother said, handing Mingi the bag she and her husband had packed for him.

"Thank you, Mother," Mingi replied with a sad smile.

The family said their farewells and wished the eldest Song son safe travels.

••• 

Mingi had not been traveling for long before trouble found its way toward him. Guards from the Glass Kingdom, who had been patrolling the outskirts, noticed the towering figure walking through the dense forest. Sensing their presence, Mingi tried his best to draw as little attention to himself as possible. This was a difficult task, however, because those that can turn into beasts were always larger than the average human or elf. His unique eye color also made him easy to identify as a beast-shifter, particularly a werewolf since that was the species most known for having strange irises. If the guards chose to ignore him, he would be safe.

This time, luck was not on Mingi's side. One of the guards, seemingly bored by patrolling the sleepy outskirts so early in the morning, decided that Mingi would be the perfect source of entertainment.

"You there! What brings you to the area?" the guard called out as the other guard simply watched in mild amusement.

Mingi turned to face the guards, luckily being far enough that his facial features were not discernible.

"I am leaving the village to find work," Mingi replied nervously.

He wasn't technically lying, and the direction he was walking was indeed away from the village. Still, the guards found his reason strange. The village's economy was doing well. Finding a job in the village should be easy enough.

For this reason, the guards started making their way towards Mingi, sending the poor man into a state of crisis. It would be too suspicious of him to run, but it could potentially be dangerous to stay until he is discovered. He ultimately decided it was best to flee. Although elves are quick, he hoped he would be quicker. Even in his human form, Mingi possessed extraordinary abilities which he hoped would save him this time around.

"I'll be off then," Mingi announced before turning around and dashing through the trees.

The guards sprinted behind him, swords in hand. The man they randomly chose to pass the time became quite interesting, and it would be irresponsible of them to let him get away.

The trees started clearing, allowing Mingi to quicken his pace. The guard's jurisdiction would soon be cut off once he left the forest. This meant that Mingi would just need to make it past the trees to escape. The clearer the area got, the closer Mingi was to freedom, his heart pounding loudly in his ears as a bead of sweat ran down his face. He was finally able to see the last of the trees, prompting him and the guards to gain speed.

Just as he was going to cross the forest border, a figure hidden in the trees pushed him down to the ground, knocking the air out of him. The two guards that had been chasing him slowed down and greeted their colleague. The three elves studied Mingi, pointing their swords at him to ensure he didn't escape.

"He is rather tall," one observed.

"And his eyes!" another pointed out with a gasp.

Mingi, who had just recovered from the shock, now laid still on the ground, panting from having been knocked down. His nerves consumed him and he wondered if this was going to be his end.

"Let's take him to the dungeon. We'll ask Commander Seo what to do with him," the guard that knocked Mingi down decided.

The guards forced Mingi onto his feet and urged him to walk in the direction they were leading him to, using their swords to keep him from running away. Mingi trudged along, his gaze fixed on the ground and his heart threatening to beat right out of his chest.

Once they made it to the foot of the Glass Kingdom, one of the guards pulled out a brown sack and placed it over Mingi's head. Without his ability to see, Mingi grew even more nervous. Even if he managed to rid himself of the guards, there was no way he would find his way out of the kingdom.

The guards led Mingi through the winding halls and seemingly never-ending staircases. With the sound of a metal door being opened, Mingi was shoved down to the cold ground. The metal door closed and the heavy lock clicked ominously, marking Mingi's doom.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Howdy, y'all. I currently (5/29/20) have 12 chapters completed and am posting them after each chapter's second round of proofreading. Since I actually write pretty sporadically and can only really proofread when I'm in the mood to do so, I will be posting all of the members' introductory chapters first (so the first 8 chapters) and will then take some time to proofread and further develop the story. The reason I am withholding the other 4 chapters is so that I can have something to post if my writing and proofreading is taking too long. Okay, that's all.


	4. Misty Hollow

The Sorcerer's Temple on Misty Hollow was a large yet humble building situated on a mound overlooking the rest of the village. The many quaint buildings scattered along the valley housed the once wandering wizards of the Hollow. The most impressive building among these was that of Grandmaster Jung and his family. It was the tallest building boasting a whole two floors with a dark wood exterior decorated with celestial motifs in various shades of purple and black.

The Grandmaster rarely spent time in his quarters, however, as he spent his days in the simple temple refining his skills and teaching the young wizards of the village how to properly make use of their magic.

Outside of the village, the Grandmaster was regarded as an almost godly figure for his skills and stoic nature. However, his aloof personality made it very difficult for him to adjust to the role of Grandmaster. One of the duties of a Grandmaster was to pass on his knowledge to the younger generations. Contrary to what he had assumed, this duty surpassed just writing what he knew in books. It required hands-on learning and face-to-face instruction. Learning from an impatient and indifferent teacher was extremely difficult and frustrating, and the Grandmaster was only able to overcome these challenges once his grandson was born. 

Jung Wooyoung inherited his grandfather's magic skills but possessed a completely different personality from the Grandmaster. Even in his youth, the Grandmaster was always a serious man, quite similar to Lady Shin but much more gentle when interacting with others. Wooyoung, blessed with an agreeable disposition and good looks, loved mischief and getting himself into trouble. The Grandmaster found Wooyoung's playfulness endearing, but he had to remind himself to keep Wooyoung in check. As the grandson of the Grandmaster, Wooyoung was expected to behave a certain way by the people of Misty Hollow and any outsiders that may be visiting the village or passing by.

The Grandmaster, who was sat studying in the temple as he always did, called for Wooyoung. Misty Hollow was expecting a guest and Grandmaster Jung wanted to ensure that Wooyoung and his equally mischievous right-hand man would be on their best behavior. Wooyoung alone was a handful, but having the Two Mischief-Makers of Misty Hollow in one room was far too much trouble for the Grandmaster to deal with.

Wooyoung entered the minimal yet beautiful temple nonchalantly while his grandfather looked extremely tense. Wooyoung stood in front of his grandfather who sat behind a small table on the floor that he used as a desk.

"Grandfather," Wooyoung called with a cheeky smile, bowing respectfully to his grandfather.

Grandmaster Jung, whose back had been facing Wooyoung, turned with a solemn expression on his aged features, contrasting with his grandson's laid-back, youthful glow.

"Sit and listen well," Grandmaster Jung ordered.

Wooyoung did as he was told, curiosity shining in his eyes.

"We are expecting a guest tomorrow from the Woodland Tower. I expect you and the Choi boy to be model disciples of Misty Hollow," Grandmaster Jung stated sternly.

Wooyoung's curiosity intensified upon hearing his words. Misty Hollow rarely received visitors, especially in times of impending peril as such was the case.

"A visitor? Who is it? King Kang? The Crown Prince?" Wooyoung asked excitedly.

"Do I have your word?" Grandmaster Jung commanded rather than asked.

Wooyoung sighed at his grandfather's stubbornness before nodding.

"Yes, sir!"

The Grandmaster allowed himself to relax a bit. He would still have to keep an eye on the two troublesome wizards, but at least Wooyoung would know to hold himself and his sworn brother back a bit.

"Who is it, Grandfather?" Wooyoung persisted, his formerly deflated state having bounced back rapidly.

"The King simply stated that he would be sending someone, but he didn't specify who. I suspect it to be the Crown Prince," Grandmaster Jung explained.

" _Wah_ , so we'll be able to meet the Woodland Tower's renown Crown Prince! The Great Extinguisher of Joy himself!" Wooyoung exclaimed sarcastically, causing Grandmaster Jung's face to darken.

"And _that_ is precisely the type of comment I want you to keep to yourself. You will only introduce yourself to our guest and speak when you are spoken to. I will have none of your snide remarks, you hear! If either you or Choi San cause trouble, there _will_ be consequences," Grandmaster Jung fumed animatedly.

"Yes, Grandmaster," Wooyoung responded dejectedly.

"Now go," the Grandmaster ordered, turning around to face the book he had been studying, "and tell your friend what I've just told you."

"Yes, Grandmaster."

Wooyoung stood up and bowed before exiting the temple and running off to one of the residences on the other end of Misty Hollow. He stopped at the house with a purple and blue flame marking on the door, the purple showing that the residents were part of the wizard clan of Misty Hollow and the royal blue signifying that they were part of the Choi family.

Wooyoung entered the residence without knocking nor alerting the inhabitants that he had arrived. The Choi family was already accustomed to seeing the Grandmaster's grandson going in and out of their house just as the Jung family was used to seeing the only Choi son in theirs.

"Young Master Wooyoung, what a surprise," the eldest of the Choi children spoke sarcastically, not looking up from the small piece of wood she was carving while a purple and blue robe was sewed by invisible hands beside her.

Wooyoung ignored her words, having heard them so often that he'd find it strange if she hadn't said them. Wooyoung dashed to the last door in the hall and entered the room it partitioned with no invitation. The inhabitant of the room turned with a wide grin, his black and blue robes making a slight fluttering noise with the movement. He had been trying to fix a wooden cabinet he accidentally broke while practicing a spell before Wooyoung burst through the door; however, without the support of his arms, one of the drawers fell to the ground unceremoniously.

"Brother! How was your talk with the Grandmaster?" San asked, unfazed by the drawer that landed a mere centimeter from his foot.

"It went well," Wooyoung replied, earning a confused look from his sworn brother.

The confusion did not last long on San's face having been replaced by relief.

"I almost suspected that he had caught on about the fireworks!" San exclaimed happily.

Wooyoung sighed. He wasn't the type to enjoy crushing the dreams of others, but he was left with no choice.

"Grandfather did not find out about the fireworks, but we'll have to hold off on them regardless," Wooyoung explained, watching as San deflated.

San, being afflicted with an air of drama, proceeded to dejectedly lay facedown on his bed and sigh.

"A whole year's worth of crafting wasted away!" San lamented into his blanket.

Wooyoung sat next to San, his mood darkening as he was reminded of the fireworks they had been working on. They had planned to make extravagant fireworks to set off on a regular day, ensuring it was none of the villagers' birthdays, anniversaries, or any other special occasion that could warrant fireworks. The next day just so happened to be the perfect day, considering that it was very difficult to find a completely plain day with the number of villagers occupying Misty Hollow.

San quickly sat up and turned to Wooyoung after having remembered something.

"If this is the outcome, then how could it be that your talk with the Grandmaster went well?" San questioned.

Wooyoung, having been wallowing on his own recovered after hearing San's question.

"Well, it seems we've only been threatened. It's much better to be threatened than to actually be punished," Wooyoung explained.

San nodded in agreement. It was commonplace for one to say something absurd and the other to simply not react. For this, many in the village found the pair a bit strange, but they would quickly forget their judgment when they were graced by the many good deeds the two did around the village. They may have been the Two Mischief-Makers of Misty Hollow, but their souls were kind and caring as shown through their actions.

"Why have we been threatened this time?" San asked casually.

"We are having a visitor tomorrow," Wooyoung explained cheekily, "His Great Excellency, the All-Knowing Crown Prince of the Woodland Tower will grace us lowly magic folk with his divine presence!"

San's face contorted in disgust before the two burst out laughing at both the mocking explanation and San's expression. They quickly sobered up and continued their chat.

"Can you imagine being so pompous that even the isolated wizards of Misty Hollow know of your unsavory reputation?" San scoffed.

"I would be mortified if I were him," Wooyoung added.

The two carried on their conversation, winding through an almost incoherent string of topics before they made a full circle back to the Grandmaster's words.

"The most important part of his speech is that we are to be on our best behavior during his stay or else, as Grandfather ominously stated, 'there will be consequences,'" Wooyoung said.

"Well, that can't be too difficult," San commented.

"As long as neither of us speaks out of turn or does anything that would offend Grandfather's sensibilities, we should be fine," Wooyoung concluded, standing up and straightening his black robes that almost matched San's except for the purple that replaced the blue.

"I suppose you should be off now. I'll be dealing with this wretched drawer if you need anything," San sighed out, leaving his bed to tend to the aforementioned drawer which had been sitting on the floor since Wooyoung had first entered the room.

"Have fun with that," Wooyoung said before leaving the Choi residence.

Meanwhile, in the Sorcerer's Temple, Grandmaster Jung grew uneasy the more he thought about the next day's occasion and the discussion he would have with the Crown Prince of Woodland Tower.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, this is awkward... I forgot that I had introduced San and Wooyoung in the same chapter, so all the introductory chapters add up to seven instead of eight. Either way, I did say I would post the first eight chapters, so I'll post the eighth one.


	5. The Glass Kingdom

A prince dressed in robes with billowing sleeves climbed the beautifully designed staircases of the Crystal Palace. The guards and servants of the palace bowed as His Highness gracefully passed by. As if rehearsed, many of them took a few seconds to admire the prince, for his beauty was considered the ideal representation of a strong winter elf. His sharp features held a serious expression though his eyes still shone with a warm gentleness that enraptured those who laid eyes on him. His ethereal beauty was exemplified by the expertly tailored robes in white and blue, the colors of the Kim Dynasty of the Glass Kingdom.

The prince, having been summoned by his father, paid them no mind as he made his way to the great hall of the Crystal Palace. Because the Crystal Palace was built along the side of a mountain, the palace was larger vertically than horizontally. Keeping this in mind, the builders of the palace had constructed the great hall in such a way that it was in the center in terms of both width and height.

Finally, after climbing the long flight of stairs, the prince arrived at the great hall. He smiled slightly at the sight of his father as he walked towards the glass throne the king was situated in. He bowed once he was stood in front of the king whose usually soft, kind features held a grim expression.

"What troubles you, Father?" Hongjoong asked, noticing the slight scrunch between the king's eyebrows.

"Hongjoong," the king spoke as he snapped out of his thoughts which had temporarily impaired him from noticing his son, "I didn't hear you come in."

"That's impossible, Father. We're elves," Hongjoong joked.

The king laughed lightly at his son's words, easing some of the tension in the king's demeanor. The king always found the presence of his wife and two children to be the best medicine for a troubled mind.

"Our hearing may be far better than other species, but nothing compares to the volume of one's mind, my dear son," the king responded casually as if speaking so proverbially was a common occurrence.

"Then what has your mind so preoccupied?" Hongjoong asked.

The king's expression darkened. Though he had prepared himself to speak to his son before his arrival, the king still felt a cold, dark feeling wrap itself around his heart. He sighed, having been holding his breath subconsciously.

"The days are a lot grimmer than they used to be. Even the feel of the air is different," the king lamented as confusion etched itself onto Hongjoong's features.

He understood what his father was saying, for he too felt the change in atmosphere. However, he could not discern what his father was trying to get at with bringing up this grim reality.

"What do you suppose is the cause, Father?" Hongjoong asked.

King Kim looked past his son, his stare becoming unfocused as a type of darkness he felt once before settled itself into his heart.

"There is only one reason why the world becomes so gloomy: war," the king explained bleakly.

Hongjoong became lost in thought for a moment after hearing his father's words. Surely, it made sense. The rising tensions between the vampires of the Sunless Mountain and the different kingdoms of Man would no doubt escalate to war. This had been a known fact amongst those far and wide, so why would his father bring it up so suddenly.

"Do you sense something, Father?" Hongjoong questioned.

The king replied with a far-off stare, "Oh, yes. This war will extend past the confines of the human and vampire kingdoms."

"What will we do if this is the case?" Hongjoong asked resolutely.

The king looked down at his son with a strong sense of pride. He had always hoped that his children will grow to be strong, determined individuals. His heart was at ease upon seeing his son's resolution though he had to keep those emotions of a proud father in check as it was not the time to be getting sentimental over irrelevant things.

"The Glass Kingdom will fortify its borders. We will ensure the safety of our people as well as the villagers at the foot of the mountain. Your sister will prepare accommodations for those who come to the kingdom seeking asylum," the king explained, "and as for you, I want you to go to Misty Hollow. The Grandmaster there is a wizard far wiser than I who may have some insight on the situation at hand."

"Yes, Father," Hongjoong said with determination.

"If you are able to, take Crown Prince Seonghwa with you. You alone are a force to be reckoned with, but it would keep my mind at ease knowing you are not traveling on your own at times like this," King Kim added.

"Then I'll go to the Sunless Mountain before going to Misty Hollow," Hongjoong stated in response.

"Good. It would be ideal if you were able to get information from inside the palace, but do not do so at the expense of your safety. You may have a good relationship with the Crown Prince, but the good relations between the Glass Kingdom and the Sunless Mountain end there," the king warned to which Hongjoong affirmed with a nod.

"When shall I set out?" Hongjoong asked.

"As soon as you are able to though no later than the third day after this meeting. I have a feeling that anything past the third day may be too late though I can't explain why," King Kim replied.

"Yes, Father. I'll be on my way as soon as I've packed what I need," Hongjoong spoke before bowing to his Father and turning to leave.

The king stepped down from his throne and watched as his son hurried through the maze of staircases. A gleam of concern shone in his eyes as he thought of what his son would be facing outside the walls of the Glass Kingdom.

Hongjoong, on the other hand, exuded determination as he sped through the staircases. He ascended higher through the Crystal Palace as he weaved his way to his quarters. Once he entered his room, he found his mother admiring the snowy view through the large balcony with a roof to keep the snow off the ground. Hongjoong approached his mother who, like his father when he had entered the palace's great hall, was seemingly lost in thought.

"Your diligence is a virtue, but do not mistake diligence for self-sacrifice," his mother advised as she kept gazing at the snowy peaks around the Crystal Palace.

"Yes, Mother," Hongjoong replied with a chuckle at his mother's unwarranted wise words.

"And do not act recklessly. If you are to be a hero, ensure that you're a living one," the queen continued.

"Yes, Mother."

"Your sister will need you by her side when she ascends your father's throne," the queen persisted.

"Yes, Mother."

"And do keep your mother in mind before you do anything reckless because I'm very well aware that you will ignore that bit of advice anyway," his mother said, turning to her dear son with a distressed look in her eyes.

At this, Hongjoong gave his mother a reassuring smile and embraced her in the same way she would hug him when he was a child.

"Yes, Mother," Hongjoong replied as his mother hugged him back with more strength than her physique led on.

They pulled apart with the queen wiping away a few stray tears. Her husband had informed her about his concerns and plans before having told anyone else which resulted in an insurmountable heaviness burrowing its way into her heart.

"When will you depart?" the queen asked.

"Tonight," Hongjoong responded.

"I would question why you would choose to leave so soon had I not known your character," his mother spoke with a sad smile, "even so, please do mind yourself or, at the very least, bring Crown Prince Seonghwa with you to do that for you."

"I will, Mother," Hongjoong assured.

The queen bid him farewell, leaving Hongjoong to change into robes of the same colors which were much more suited for travel and battle if the need arises. He grabbed his beautifully adorned bow and arrows and attached his sword to the belt of his clothing. He then descended down the steps and made his way to the dungeons after having remembered a conversation he had heard between a group of guards.

Apparently, three guards had managed to find an elusive beast-shifter earlier that day. Hongjoong, knowing the nature of the guards of the Glass Kingdom, planned to investigate the matter. The guards, having extensive training but no real danger to put their training to use, would occasionally become excitable and detain anyone who was mildly suspicious. A beast-shifter, unfortunately, was largely deemed suspicious even when they had done nothing wrong. Hongjoong found this notion absurd and would ensure that the beast-shifter was indeed a danger to others before allowing them to rot in the icy dungeons of the Glass Kingdom.

A great deal of commotion could be heard in the dungeons. It seemed that a group of guards had swarmed to a cell to gawk at one of the prisoners detained. This, Hongjoong thought, must be where the beast-shifter is being held.

Hongjoong quietly made his way to the large group of guards. They had been taunting the beast-shifter which Hongjoong had not been able to get a glimpse of. After observing the guards silently, Hongjoong decided he had had enough of their antics and spoke up.

"Is there a reason why so many righteous guards of the Glass Kingdom are surrounding this cell?"

The guards immediately froze as fear seeped into their souls. They turned to face the Prince and bowed with terror in their eyes.

"Your Highness! W-what brings you to the dungeons?" a guard stuttered with his voice cracking.

"Is the one in the cell the beast-shifter?" Hongjoong asked sternly.

"Yes, Your Highness. Would you like to have a look?" another guard asked, prompting all the guards to step aside, allowing Hongjoong a glimpse into the cell.

Hongjoong stepped closer to the cell and saw a large man in plain, tattered robes sat in one of the far corners of the cell, his head faced down as he held a large bag to his chest. Hongjoong sensed no malice in the man's heart and quickly turned to the trembling guards.

"The reason for his detainment?" Hongjoong questioned.

The guards kept quiet, having a silent battle to determine who would answer the Prince. Finally, it seemed that one of the male guards had lost the battle.

"He is a beast-shifter, Your Highness," the man spoke up tentatively as anger swirled feverishly in Hongjoong's eyes.

"And?" Hongjoong seethed, the guards flinching in response.

There was no "and". The man had simply been detained for having the audacity to exist. Had he been born a human, elf, wizard, or any other creature besides a beast-shifter, he would have been free from this confinement.

"You have imprisoned a man whose only sin was to be born a certain way? Are you satisfied with yourselves? Does your commander know of this?" Hongjoong spat.

"No, Your Highness. He has yet to be informed," a female guard spoke.

"Release this man immediately, and I expect all of you to take responsibility for your misdeeds before I return or else Commander Seo will be the least of your worries," Hongjoong ordered.

One of the guards unlocked the cell door and held it open for the beast-shifter to leave his confines. The beast-shifter, who had been listening intently the whole time, stood up and tentatively swung his bag onto his back. He walked cautiously out of the cell and looked at the Prince in astonishment.

"Thank you for your kindness, Your Highness," the beast-shifter spoke, getting down on his knees to bow deeply to show his gratitude.

Instead, the Hongjoong grabbed his arm to stop the man from bowing.

"I have only shown the least amount of decency one could muster; there is no need for you to bow. I apologize for the trouble my guards have put you through," Hongjoong stated with a bow.

The beast-shifter and the guards all stared in shock. For the prince of one of the biggest kingdoms around to bow to beast-shifter was unheard of. However, Hongjoong paid them no mind and proceeded to lead the man out of the palace.

The two walked in silence as the beast-shifter could not believe how absurd his first day away from home had been playing out. Hongjoong accompanied the man until they had left the borders of the Glass Kingdom. Hongjoong turned to the man with a smile before speaking.

"If you do not mind me asking, how may I refer to you?" Hongjoong asked, his friendly tone catching the attention of the dazed man.

"Ah, my name is Song Mingi. I should have introduced myself sooner, Your Highness. My apologies," Mingi spoke sheepishly with a quick bow.

"It's alright. You must have been quite shocked," Hongjoong replied.

"Indeed I was, Your Highness," Mingi responded.

Hongjoong looked out to the direction of the Sunless Mountain and thought it would be unfortunate to part from the man so soon. Song Mingi gave him a good feeling.

"Tell me, Song Mingi. Where are you headed?" Hongjoong asked, in hopes that it would be the same direction as his own.

This question brought Mingi back to his original dilemma. He had no idea where to go as his plan was just to wander until he found somewhere to settle down.

"Truthfully, I'm not quite sure, Your Highness. I am looking for work outside of the Glass Kingdom, but I'm not sure where to look at," Mingi confessed.

He figured that the Prince would not attempt to harm him after having made such a big fuss to get him out of the dungeon, so being honest with the Prince would not be a dangerous decision.

Hongjoong thought over Mingi's response for a few minutes before answering. Though he would have preferred to have company on his journey to the Sunless Mountain, there was a village in the opposite direction of the Sunless Mountain that may have what Mingi was looking for. The village was a shorter distance than the Sunless Mountain, and he would not be so selfish as to force Mingi to walk a longer distance in order to keep him company.

"There is a small human village to the west which may have what you are looking for," Hongjoong suggested bittersweetly.

"Is that where you are off to, Your Highness?" Mingi asked curiously.

"No. I am traveling east. I do not mind if you want to tag along; however, the journey is much longer," Hongjoong explained.

"I see," Mingi replied thoughtfully, "I guess this is where we part."

"I suppose so. Though before you go, there is something I have that you may find useful," Hongjoong said as he took out a very small bag from his pocket.

The bag was a magic bag created by a wandering wizard many centuries in the past. The bag, though small, was bottomless with the original purpose of holding herbs and other supplies wizards often used. At the present time, the magic bags were used by those that could find or afford one, meaning that Hongjoong, a prince from one of the Great Kingdoms of Gudae, would surely own one.

"You have done enough already, Your Highness. Causing you any more trouble would weigh heavily on my soul," Mingi replied humbly.

"It's really not much," Hongjoong said, pulling out a necklace made of pure elvish silver with a glowing crystal hanging from the chain, "but it should help you blend in among humans a bit better."

Hongjoong handed Mingi the necklace, the latter frozen in shock at what the Prince had just given him. Elvish silver was already worth far more than he could ever imagine, let alone a crystal from the mountain the Glass Kingdom was built upon. Mingi continued staring at the necklace in his hand. This prince was far too much for his weak heart to handle.

Hongjoong chuckled at Mingi's expression. Had it not been for the golden eyes, Hongjoong would never have guessed that this was a beast-shifter that so many people feared.

"What does it do?" Mingi asked once he sobered up.

"It will allow whoever wears it to appear completely human to others. For example, a vampire could have his fangs and claws out and still look completely human if they wore this necklace. I have never really had much use for it aside from assisting a friend, and you seem to be in much greater need of it. That being said, though this necklace is a powerful tool, I don't think it will be strong enough to hide your height," Hongjoong explained.

Upon hearing this, Mingi nodded in understanding and put the necklace on, tucking it in under his robes. Hongjoong offered his sword so that Mingi could see what his eyes looked like in the reflection. His eyes were the biggest indicator that he was a beast-shifter, and it would save him a lot of trouble if his eyes could be disguised. Satisfied with the result, Mingi bowed and thanked Hongjoong profusely before exchanging a couple of words.

"Well, I really do have to get going. I wish you safe travels, Song Mingi," Hongjoong said as the sun started to set.

"And I wish the same for you, Your Highness," Mingi returned.

With this, the two men went their separate ways, each with a sneaking feeling that it would not be the last time they would encounter each other.


	6. The Desolate Mines of Silent Peak

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise I didn't forget to upload a chapter; I was just busy proofreading another chapter!! I've been getting a lot of ideas for this story lately, so please excuse if this temporary posting schedule is slightly disturbed.
> 
> WARNING: This chapter has a bit of violence (and suggestions of violence) during the start of the chapter. The particular parts where these things are showcased or suggested will have "**" at the beginning and end of that particular sections.

The calming gurgle of a winding stream led the harmony of nature's sounds in a sleepy forest. A large bag rested against one of the many towering trees. It was half-filled with an array of different plants and berries and stood out as the only man-made object around.

Suddenly, a sprinting deer slashed through the serene scene, its eyes wild with fear. Chasing it was an unusually large bear. The bear's paws stomped down on the ground with great force, sharply contrasting the light thumps of the deer's frantic gait. The bear, though determined, was not as quick as the deer and lacked the fear-fueled adrenaline to keep the chase going any longer. **Just as the bear slowed to a halt, an arrow pierced the deer's body, the wound giving the bear enough time to have a feast. The bear, however, snapped the poor creature's neck with a stomp from its paws and stood beside the deer as if waiting for permission to dig in.**

"I've spotted another one in the direction of the mountain," a large man with a quiver and bow on his back spoke to the bear as he nonchalantly approached the deer and retrieved his arrow.

The bear grunted in response before setting off in the direction the man had advised him to go. The man brought over a large cart with a bag hanging from one of the handles to the deer's body. The cart had been hidden behind a bush to keep it out of the hunters' way. In the cart, three other deer corpses rested. With a concentrated expression on his soft features, the man lifted the deer's corpse onto the cart with little effort. The action added a few more bloodstains to his plain garments, but he did not mind. The only people who would see him would be his sleuth who had already been accustomed to the hunters of the group having stained garments.

The man proceeded to hide the cart once again and began picking plants and berries before tossing them into the large bag resting on the tree. He did this for some time until he heard a resounding roar break through the silence of the forest. Quickly, he tied the bag closed and swung it over his shoulder. He grabbed the handles of the cart and ran in the direction of the roar. Once there, he found that his bear friend had indeed been able to catch one of the deer he had told the bear about. Like the last deer and those before it, the man placed the deer in the cart effortlessly.

As the man did this, the large bear began to change, and soon a man, as bare as the day he had been born, appeared. The man, who had a second ago taken the form of a bear, bore an exhausted expression, breathing heavily as he looked onto his peer.

"Is it enough?" the bear-man asked out-of-breath.

"It should be," the other man replied before handing his naked friend clothing from the bag that hung from one of the cart's handles.

The bear-man got dressed and picked up the bag of plants and berries from the ground where the other man had left it while setting the deer down onto the cart.

"Yunho, my dear friend, would it be too much trouble for me to join the deer while we go up the mountain," the bear-man joked.

"I don't see any issue with that as long as you are not bothered by receiving the same treatment as the deer," the man, Yunho, responded in jest.

The two men then made their way through the forest and to the aforementioned mountain. The bear-man, whom Yunho referred to as Seokmin when mocking him in conversation, huffed as the pair climbed up the mountain through a path just wide enough for the cart to fit. They joked and made light conversation as they trekked up the mountain, Yunho poking fun at his friend's poor stamina and Seokmin attacking Yunho's stature.

"My body may have trouble climbing this mountain but at least I don't resemble one," Seokmin teased.

"It is an honor to be compared to a mountain as majestic as the Silent Peak," Yunho retorted proudly with a bright smile etched on his features.

"Well, I do suppose it would be an honor when you put it like that," Seokmin mumbled in defeat.

Yunho and Seokmin came to a halt once they arrived at their destination. A large, hidden doorway had been cut into the side of the mountain which marked the entrance into the mines inside the mountain—the two men's home. The mines, once having been the livelihoods of the beast-shifters of the mountain, were thought to have been abandoned when the persecution of beast-shifters commenced. However, with Yunho and Seokmin as living proof, this was not the case.

Beast-shifters that would take the form of bears were rare to find even before the persecution started, and once it had started, the population went from tens of thousands to thousands to, eventually, less than a hundred. Those that survived the persecution sought shelter in the mines of the treacherous peak. Having banded together, those that sought to exterminate them gave up on their vendetta against the species. This was due to the simple fact that one bear-shifter was already a formidable foe; trying to face a group of them would surely be asking for one's own death.

Yunho and Seokmin weaved their way through the mines before reaching a more spacious area. There, a group of about thirty bears greeted them. The bear-shifters, having been too cautious to leave the mountain, would choose a pair of young adults to hunt and gather food for the den. This event usually took place every five years. The Hunters were also considered the leaders of the den. Their words would weigh more heavily when making decisions though they did not surpass the elder's judgment. Yunho and Seokmin had been Hunters for three years and were treated warmly and with respect by all the members of the sleuth.

One of the women, who had been in her human form, approached Yunho and Seokmin with a kind smile. She was a tough woman with broad shoulders and rippling muscles that could rival any of the men in the den.

"Your sacrifice is greatly appreciated. **I will skin the deer while you rest**," the woman spoke, taking the cart from Yunho and settling down in a corner of the opening.

"I'll sort and store the plants and berries while she does that," another member of the den said, taking the bag from Seokmin and heading off into their own corner.

With this, both men made their way to their respective cots. The cots were simply large collections of leaves placed on the mine's ground to keep them from sleeping on the mine's cool surface. Each member of the den had a cot somewhere in the opening though there were some that chose to sleep in more private nooks and crannies within the mines.

Once at his cot, Yunho put down his bow and arrow-filled quiver, both of which had been carried down from Hunter to Hunter. He then undressed and took his bear form before laying down to enjoy some much-appreciated rest. Yunho, much like in his human form, was a larger than average bear, the average being in the standards of a bear-shifter. Beast-shifters were always larger than the animal they took form, so to say that Yunho's bear form was enormous was an understatement.

Yunho, like many other days and nights, laid on his cot restlessly. He had tried to convince himself that life in the Silent Peak was fulfilling and that he did not need to experience whatever else the world had to offer. However, he knew in his heart that there was nothing more he wanted than to explore the world and live a life outside of isolation. This wasn't a selfish need, either. He wished for all the members of the sleuth to be able to see the world. He had been growing sick of living a life of solitude and confinement. Though his great-great-grandparents were able to survive by fleeing to the mines, Yunho couldn't help but feel that the mines were nothing more than a prison. He hoped to one day be able to get himself and his den out of the prison and live a life of freedom.

What Yunho didn't know was that his desire to leave would be fulfilled a few weeks later after a chance meeting he would later consider being the work of fate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As of now, I'm going to change the content warnings to better suit the story. It didn't really sink in until I started proofreading this chapter for the second time that a lot more violence would have to be shown. I will continue to mark the exact places where violence is shown in case anyone wants to skip those parts.


	7. Beonhwa Village

Beonhwa Village, unlike most other human towns and villages, was a small community that was independent of the influence of any of Gudae's large kingdoms. The quaint village did not have many inhabitants; however, it boasted a great number of guests. Beonhwa Village was situated at just the right distance from several of the large kingdoms, allowing the village to flourish with the large flow of travelers stopping by for a place to rest. Many bustling inns were scattered throughout the village with many of the villagers and their families living in the inns they owned. The few that were not in the business of hospitality settled down in small cottages closer to the edge of the village. On the very edge of town resided the Keepers of the village.

The occupation of Keeper of the village had been bestowed upon the descendants of the founders of the village. This is how the Choi family came to be in the Keeper's Cottage. The cottage was a very humble structure that looked no different from the other cottages in Beonhwa Village. It was constructed to look wonderfully modest in order to show that the Keepers served the villagers and not the other way around. Having been the Keepers that lived in such a cottage, the Choi family was tasked with managing the village's affairs and organizing a group of volunteers to protect the village.

These volunteers were known as the Protectors of the village. The leader of the Protectors was Lady Han, a middle-aged woman with a broad build and a stoic expression. Lady Han, the child of the former leader of the Protectors, trained the volunteering youths and acted as a sort of general for the village. She was a stern woman who gave a strong impression to those that had the pleasure or misfortune of meeting her. Her great sense of justice gifted her admiration from her disciples, but her strict training regiment also instilled a great sense of dread in them every time they caught a glimpse of her steely features. She taught them only the basics of swordsmanship as swords were harder to come by than bows and arrows. This allowed the volunteers to be decent swordsmen and skilled archers. However, the most rigorous training of all was hand-to-hand combat. The Protectors of Beonhwa Village were known by many travelers for their strong builds and unyielding strength.

Of Lady Han's disciples, one particular pupil stood out the most. Though his build was not as broad as other volunteers, the strength of the eldest child of the Choi family was unmatched. His handsome and kind—almost babyish—face would betray his opponents' judgment, making him the most stellar of the disciples around.

Lady Han, having no time for children of her own, always hoped that this disciple would succeed her; however, she understood that as the eldest child in the Keepers' household, he was to succeed that role instead. Although it wasn't unheard of for the roles of Head Keeper and Head Protector to be performed by the same person, it was rather rare due to the heavy workload. Neither Lady Han nor Lady Choi felt it was necessary to put so much pressure on the boy, so they simply agreed to just let him choose for himself what he would like to do. After all, there were multiple children in the Choi household who could succeed their mother if the eldest decided to become Head Protector.

As for the boy, he simply lived his life without dwelling on the past and not minding the future very much. He believed that whatever becomes of his life would have happened whether he had a say in it or not.

As if to highlight this carefree ideology, the Young Master of the Keeper's household strolled leisurely through the heart of the village. His handsome features were accentuated by the black and silver robes that comprised the Protectors' uniforms. His robes were different from other Protectors, however, due to the dark green band across his waist, signifying that he was part of the Keeper's family.

Suddenly, a commotion coming from an inn to his left caught the eldest Choi sibling's attention, so he decided to investigate. He entered the inn, only to find that a slender middle-aged man who looked to have had far too much to drink was accosting one of the inn's workers. Upon having seen the Young Master enter, the mousy worker's face lit up with relief as they scurried behind the Young Master to shield themselves from the drunkard.

"Young Master! What a relief!" the worker exclaimed as the patrons and other workers turned to face him.

"What happened here?" the Young Master asked the worker.

Just as the worker was about to explain, the drunken man interrupted them with a sneer. The man clumsily made his way toward the Young Master with great difficulty and poked a thin, pointy finger at the Young Master's chest.

"Nothing _you_ should concern yourself with," the man slurred, his putrid breath causing the Young Master to turn his head away in disgust.

"Well?" the Young Master asked the worker.

The worker perked up upon hearing the dashing Young Master address them.

"He is a patron at our inn. The owner ordered me to no longer serve him drinks since he was becoming belligerent. When I explained to him that I could no longer serve him any more alcohol, he began to throw things on the floor and berate me quite aggressively," the worker explained frantically with shattered pieces of cups and plates serving as a testament to their words.

The man's face became red with fury as he ranted.

"What right do you have to—"

The Young Master held his hand up to silence the man. He had no patience for people as ill-tempered as the man. The man's face almost became purple at this gesture; he seemed to have never been treated in such a belittling manner in his life.

"Where is the inn's owner?" the Young Master asked.

"He's gone out to collect some supplies. He won't be back until a few hours," the worker replied.

"I have _never_ been treated with such disrespect! Who do you think you are to come in here and treat me this way?!" the man raged drunkenly at the Young Master.

"He is a Protector of the village! Take a look at his garments!" one patron hollered.

"Then shouldn't he be doing some protecting?! What business does he have with me?!" the man responded indignantly.

Several spectators of the altercation couldn't help but laugh at the man's brazen response. It was always a good idea to treat the Protectors respectfully, for they could get whoever caused trouble on the wrong side of the Keepers. This man clearly was too inebriated to realize his mistake.

"I was told Beonhwa Village would offer great service to travelers, but it seems my sources were greatly mistaken! I demand to speak to a Keeper of the village this instant! What is your name to report your rude behavior to your superior?" the man spat.

At this, workers of the inn as well as some patrons burst into laughter at the man's ridiculous demands. With this, the Young Master gave those laughing a knowing look before turning to the man.

"Of course, Master! I will retrieve a Keeper of the village right away. My name is Choi Jongho. Please do not hold back when speaking to my superior! Here at Beonhwa Village, we take our guests' complaints very seriously," the Young Master, Jongho, responded cheekily, turning around and walking out of the inn.

The workers and patrons looked confused at the Protector's overly kind behavior while the drunken man looked far too pleased with himself. It wasn't until a few seconds later that the confusion of the workers and patrons, as well as the self-righteousness of the drunkard, washed away.

Jongho, having stood outside the inn for a few seconds, turned back around and re-entered the inn with a stern expression on his face.

"What are you doing? Where is the Keeper, you fool?!" the drunken man raged.

Jongho stood before the man, his lips forming a mischievous smile as a devilish gleam shone in his eyes.

"Nice to meet you, valued guest. I am Choi Jongho, eldest child of the Choi household," Jongho paused, "the Keepers of Beonhwa Village. What seems to be the problem?"

The drunken man's face paled at Jongho's words. Insulting a Keeper would not be a huge offense, but it would be disrespectful to do so. It was also unwise as it was the Keepers that determined who would be allowed into the village. In Beonhwa Village, all were welcomed unless they started trouble. If one was banned from the very tolerant Beonhwa Village, it was very likely that they would be marked with a bad reputation among innkeepers and other travelers. This made it extremely difficult to find a place to stay whilst traveling.

The shock seemed to have sobered up the man enough for him to come to his senses. Why should a Keeper dress so humbly in the clothes of a Protector? This did not make sense to the man, but he dared not question Young Master Jongho having just noticed the sword on his side and bow and quiver on his back. Suddenly, the snoopy young man he had berated now looked far more intimidating than he once thought.

"Forgive me, Young Master! The alcohol has certainly impaired my judgment and has made me react in an unreasonable manner! I was not in my right mind!" the man spoke frantically, falling to his knees to beg for forgiveness.

Jongho looked down at the man bowing before him. It was quite pathetic, he thought, how a simple title could strike such fear into someone who had just a moment before been so proud.

"I do not care for your apology. You should instead apologize to the patrons and keepers of this inn for your behavior," Jongho spoke in a commanding tone.

"Of course, Young Master! I am deeply sorry for the trouble I have caused you all!" the man responded.

"And you should also apologize to my dear friend here for having treated them in such an abusive manner," Jongho said, gesturing to the mousy inn's worker who had made their way back to Jongho's side.

The worker couldn't help the blush invading their features. It wasn't often that a handsome man—let alone the soon-to-be Head Keeper of the village—referred to them as a dear friend. They had almost forgotten about the whole incident that brought the Young Master into the inn in the first place. They felt very honored to have been acknowledged in such an intimate way.

"I apologize for my behavior! I would never have treated a friend of a Keeper in such a crude way!" the man apologized, still bowed in fear of insulting the Keeper any further.

"You should treat everyone with respect, regardless of their title. As a Keeper, I am a servant to the people of this village yet no one here is neither above nor below me—aside from my mother for she is the one that raised me," Jongho advised, looking down at the trembling man at his feet.

"Yes, Young Master!"

Jongho turned to leave, the mousy worker thanking him profusely as he walked towards the exit. He paused before stepping out of the building, having decided on a better way to deal with the man. He turned to the man who had just picked himself up from the floor and looked up him with a serious expression.

"Collect your things and be on your way. Guests like you are not and will never be welcomed in Beonhwa Village. Should you choose to disobey, you will be considered an intruder and an enemy to the people of Beonhwa Village; the Protectors will treat you accordingly," Jongho ordered ruthlessly, contrasting the kind and noble tone he had previously been using.

The spectators of the whole ordeal watched as Jongho exited the building. Some cheered while others thought about how terrifying it must be to be on the receiving end of the striking Young Master's glare. They vowed to never mistreat an inn worker for the rest of their lives in order to ensure their place within the Young Master's good graces.

Taking note of the setting sun, Jongho made his way home, stopping every now and then to help one of the many vendors in the street with menial tasks. The moon hung high in the sky by the time he made it home with an array of different street foods an elderly woman had given him after he fixed the cart she used for vending.

"I'm home!" Jongho announced, expecting to be met with his younger siblings' smiling or annoyed faces.

There was no in-between as such was the nature of having siblings. Instead, he was met with silence in a deserted main area. Confusion set in as his mother poked her head out of the largest room of the house which was typically used for meeting with other villagers. She urged him towards her with a stern expression.

"How strange..." Jongho mumbled to himself as he walked to his mother.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One more chapter left before I start binge-writing and editing lmao. Also!! I'm thinking of doing special chapters that don't really add on to the story on my Tumblr (arieshwa) if anyone is interested. Let me know what y'all think about that.


	8. An Unexpected Guest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: There will be some blood in this chapter though I wouldn't really categorize it as violence. I will be marking the places where blood has been mentioned with "**".

Hongjoong stood before the King of the Sunless Mountain who sat on his throne in the palace's great hall. The court watched in confusion seeing the Prince of the Glass Kingdom arrive unannounced. Though the Crown Prince and Prince Hongjoong were close, it was always the Crown Prince who would visit the Glass Kingdom and not the other way around.

"Prince Hongjoong, what brings you here to the Sunless Mountain? It must have been around ten years since you have visited my kingdom," the king questioned, voicing his court's curiosity.

"I am here to visit the Crown Prince. As you have said, it has been a long time since I've come to the Sunless Mountain. I figured it was about time that I pay Your Majesty a visit," Hongjoong replied politely with princely charm.

Master Cho looked on and thought of how different this prince was from their own Crown Prince. Prince Hongjoong carried himself lightly with an air of humility around him. This made him extremely approachable to those that were not intimidated by his title. Crown Prince Seonghwa, on the other hand, carried himself with the same sense of pride his father had along with a graciousness he inherited from the teachings of Lady Shin. Prince Hongjoong resembled a benevolent spirit with an ability to calm the soul while Crown Prince Seonghwa was more like an all-powerful god who could instill fear on others with a single look.

However, these were only Master Cho's thoughts, and though he was able to read Prince Hongjoong well enough for someone who had rarely interacted with the prince, he completely misinterpreted Crown Prince Seonghwa. Master Cho would not have been able to know this due to the Crown Prince's transient presence in the palace.

"Very well. Would you like for one of my servants to show you to the Crown Prince's quarters or do you still remember the way?" the king asked.

"I remember quite well, Your Majesty. Thank you for your concern. If that is all then I'll be on my way," Hongjoong replied, receiving a curt nod from the king.

Hongjoong bowed before leaving the great hall, the starry night sky greeting him as he stepped out. He made his way to the Crown Prince's quarters. Hongjoong went straight to Seonghwa's bedroom, having been the only place he remembered in his closest friend's quarters. Upon seeing that the room was unoccupied, he looked around a bit until he ran into a servant.

The servant just so happened to be the male servant who Lady Shin caught gushing over the Crown Prince's heavenly looks. Upon seeing the elf dressed in white and blue, the servant paused. He had never seen anyone who could rival his Crown Prince's beauty and do so effortlessly. His heart raced as the godly figure walked towards him. He did his best to compose himself, reminding himself that the elf before him was an unknown figure in the Crown Prince's quarters.

"Excuse me, Young Master, but may I ask who you are and what your business is in the Crown Prince's quarters?" the male servant asked, doing his best to sound like an honorable servant of the Crown Prince.

"Of course. I am Kim Hongjoong, Prince of the Glass Kingdom. I'm here to see Crown Prince Seonghwa though I'm not sure where he is," Prince Hongjoong replied with a kind smile.

"Prince Hongjoong! It is an honor to meet you, Your Highness!" the vampire servant exclaimed with a bow.

"The honor is mine. It's not every day one is able to meet one of the Crown Prince's servants," Prince Hongjoong responded humbly.

The servant stood in front of the Prince with a look of astonishment for a second. He had heard the Prince of the Glass Kingdom was a kind man, but his humility was far too much for the servant's weak heart to handle. The servant forced himself to recover and guided Prince Hongjoong to the Crown Prince's library.

"The Crown Prince should be in here, Your Highness. It has been a great honor assisting you," the servant said with a bow before leaving Prince Hongjoong at the door of the library.

As the door to his personal library opened, Seonghwa looked up in confusion. The servants were not allowed to step foot in the library and Lady Shin should be in a meeting with his father like the rest of the court. Seonghwa set down the book he had been reading and silently made his way to the entrance of the library, hiding behind rows of bookshelves in doing so. His unusually sharp top canines extended into fangs and his fingernails turned into claws as he grew closer to the entrance. The door closed as he heard light footsteps walking slowly into the library. His red eyes met soft brown ones as a blur of blue and white came into his line of vision.

"I take it you don't get many visitors," Hongjoong stated cheekily as his eyes met his friend's distinct red ones.

Seonghwa's fangs and claws retracted, his tense posture softening as he quickly made his way out from behind the bookcases and to his friend.

"Why are you here?" Seonghwa asked, smiling through his confusion.

Hongjoong huffed, pretending to have been insulted.

"Is that any way to greet your _almost_ sworn brother? The way from the Glass Kingdom to the Sunless Mountain is quite treacherous, as you very well should know, and it feels quite insulting to have made such a trip to surprise my dear friend, whom I must mention is my almost sworn brother," Hongjoong teased as both boys walked deeper into the library.

"It's been a long time since you've come here, so I can only assume something's happened. And we are not sworn brothers yet is because _you_ fainted when you saw vampire blood," Seonghwa retorted with an uneasy feeling at the pit of his stomach.

Seonghwa sat back down at the table he was reading at with Hongjoong following suit and sitting across from Seonghwa at first. The way they sat made Hongjoong feel rather strange as it looked like Seonghwa had some form of authority over him. He first set his sword, bow, and quiver on the table before sitting down next to Seonghwa who paid no mind to his friend's dilemma.

"I was a child then. A little black blood is nothing to be scared of," Hongjoong huffed.

"Then I suppose you have no problem becoming sworn brothers now," Seonghwa asked with a smirk, turning to face his closest ally.

"None whatsoever!" Hongjoong exclaimed proudly.

**In a split second, Seonghwa partially unsheathed Hongjoong's sword and cut a thin line across the inside of his right hand before sheathing the sword back up and extending his hand to a shocked looking Hongjoong.

"If being _almost_ sworn brothers bothers you so much, then why don't we become actual sworn brothers, Prince Hongjoong. Or does my blood still scare you?" Seonghwa asked with a smirk.

Hongjoong, who had been looking anywhere but Seonghwa's bleeding hand, composed himself. With a proud expression, he took his sword and mimicked Seonghwa's actions, watching as Seonghwa's smug look turned to one of disbelief.**

The two had always joked about becoming sworn brothers but had never done so in fear that one would faint or the other would feel urges that were only natural for his kind. However, Seonghwa's brazen actions, though meant to mock him, were all calculated by Hongjoong before he even set foot in the Sunless Mountain. Seonghwa had always been the one to call for a ritual to become sworn brothers, and though Hongjoong wanted to complete a ritual as well, he had never pined over it as much as Seonghwa. Hongjoong knew that by becoming sworn brothers, it would be easier to convince Seonghwa to go to Misty Hollow with him. He had come up with this plan shortly after parting with the beast-shifter whom he gave the necklace he usually reserved for Seonghwa to use.

"It would be an honor to become your sworn brother," Hongjoong said seriously, extending his hand until it almost just touched Seonghwa's.

Seonghwa recovered from his shock before his expression washed over with determination. He always teased Hongjoong about it, and now Hongjoong suddenly showed up at the Sunless Mountain to perform the ritual. Regardless of the situation's peculiarity, he would take this chance to complete the ritual before Hongjoong changed his mind or fainted.

"I, too, would be honored to be your sworn brother," Seonghwa replied, **taking Hongjoong's bleeding hand in his, black and red blood mixing to signify the two princes' bond.**

Once they had completed their less-than-usual ceremony, the princes bandaged their wounds and cleaned up the things that were dirtied by the black and red blood.

"It was not a traditional ceremony, but it got the job done," Hongjoong stated nonchalantly.

"I suppose the Glass Kingdom would've been more ideal to host a ceremony," Seonghwa replied, using a handkerchief to clean some droplets that had landed on Hongjoong's bow.

"Oh, I'm sure. Though I doubt your father would have attended. How absurd would it be for his son to become sworn brothers with anyone that wasn't a vampire?" Hongjoong pointed out, cleaning his sword.

"It could be worse. You could be human, which makes no difference to me, but Father would not be so keen on the idea," Seonghwa explained with an annoyed expression.

Hongjoong paused his cleaning at Seonghwa's words. He was shocked that the topic he had come over to the Sunless Mountain to discuss was brought up so casually in conversation. He thought he would have to slowly sneak in the topic as they spoke, which would've taken hours considering how often the two bicker and jump from one subject to another.

 _Aha_ , Seonghwa thought to himself, sensing Hongjoong's abrupt change in behavior, _so he is being sneaky_.

"What is it?" Seonghwa asked as he continued cleaning.

Hongjoong put down his sword and turned to Seonghwa with a sigh.

"As you assumed earlier, there is a reason for my visit," Hongjoong replied, prompting Seonghwa to stop cleaning to face him.

"What is it then?" Seonghwa urged.

While on his way to the Sunless Mountain, Hongjoong had thought of various words that could get Seonghwa to accompany him to Misty Hollow, but none of them seemed right. He decided he would just tell him the situation without any sugarcoating and hope for the best.

"I know you want no part in the war that is coming just as I have my own reservations over getting involved, but I'm afraid it is inevitable," Hongjoong started, expecting to see an annoyed expression on Seonghwa's features but only found a serious gaze looking back at him.

"Father believes that the war will not stay contained between humans and your kind. I know you've had enough of my Father's words on the matter, but I sense what my father senses," Hongjoong explained.

"This isn't your war to fight," Seonghwa commented, knowing what his sworn brother was trying to get at with his words.

"It will be. Besides, if you must take part in this war, I will follow," Hongjoong replied.

Seonghwa remained quiet as he went deep in thought. He had long known that the conflict his people had with the humans would only escalate, but he always felt like he would never be able to do anything about it. The court disputed constantly, some desperate to go to war while others, like Lady Shin, attempted to find diplomatic solutions. His father, despite his hot temper, could be quite reasonable and had usually sided with those that opposed the war with the mindset that the safety of his people was above anything else. However, while vampires existed in only one kingdom, humans occupied many kingdoms due to their divisive nature. This made it difficult for any sort of diplomacy to take place considering how difficult it was for even one human kingdom to come to an agreement on anything, let alone multiple kingdoms.

Hongjoong knew of Seonghwa's hesitance and had often sought counsel from his father to see how he could assist with any burden his friend had been feeling. However, nothing could ever change the fact that Seonghwa was his father's son, and his father had never been too fond of "elvish nonsense and wishful thinking." The king viewed elvish intuition with little regard and had, whether purposefully or not, passed down those views onto Seonghwa. This made it difficult for Hongjoong to help his friend in a meaningful way, which frustrated him more than anything else ever had.

"I assume you have a plan with how you've shown up unannounced," Seonghwa finally stated.

"Not really. My father suggested we go seek the Grandmaster of Misty Hollow. We can forge a plan after hearing what he has to say," Hongjoong responded honestly.

Hongjoong had originally planned to tell Seonghwa that he had a solid plan and that it will be revealed to him as they go along; however, after many years of friendship, Seonghwa was always able to tell when Hongjoong was being deceitful. Lying would have, at best, not influenced his decision and at worst put him off from accompanying Hongjoong to Misty Hollow.

"I don't understand how a wizard, who has isolated himself and his people from all of the great kingdoms, could help in any way, but I'd be lying if said I had the slightest clue of what to do with the matter. Might as well see what he has to say," Seonghwa voiced his thoughts purposefully to relay his skepticism.

"Then when should we depart? Misty Hollow is quite a distance away," Hongjoong asked.

"Tomorrow. You have only just arrived, and I would much rather prefer leaving on a full stomach to avoid any _mishaps_ ," Seonghwa replied after some thought, handing Hongjoong back his bow.

With this, both of them exited Seonghwa's library. Seonghwa showed Hongjoong to a pavilion for guests within his quarters and set off to his personal dining hall. A servant, who had been dusting a shelf filled with an assortment of teacups, took note of the Crown Prince's arrival and approached him.

"Your Highness, what brings you here so late into the night?" the servant asked after bowing.

"I will be traveling in the morning, and I would rather do so on a full stomach," Seonghwa replied with a kind smile as he sat down at the head table.

"Would you like a live meal or a served meal, Your Highness?" the blushing servant asked.

Seonghwa went with the second option and waited shortly for the servant to return with a slightly large teapot and two teacups. They were painted black and red just as many things in the palace, making it look as if the red markings spilled into the cup when the cup was filled. The servant poured the contents of the pot into one teacup and drank without hesitation. After waiting for about a minute or two, the servant served Seonghwa his cup and stood next to him, waiting for any further orders.

"You may get back to what you were doing. I can serve myself," Seonghwa said, prompting the servant to go back to dusting the teacup shelf.

Seonghwa drank quietly as he thought of Lady Shin's words and Hongjoong's visit. On the day he arrived at the palace, Lady Shin warned Seonghwa of the war to come. She had relayed information that was not meant to leave the confines of the king and his court; however, as the heir to the kingdom, Lady Shin believed Seonghwa had the right to know.

Apparently, a small group of humans started spreading lies about the Sunless Mountain. They stated that the kingdom of vampires had been preparing a widespread hunt that would span all the human territories near and far. They painted gruesome caricatures of vampires on bulletins and walls that depicted them as demon-like monsters. They told stories of vampires hunting human children for sport and other fictitious fables. The aim of this group was to mobilize the many human territories against the Sunless Mountain and to turn people who had nothing to do with the conflict against them.

Their methods had been working and the group of previously around thirty members started to grow and become a proper organization. Many of the human governments did nothing to stop them for it may be convenient for them if a war broke out.

This enraged Seonghwa, but he had no way of knowing what to do. His aunt had warned him in hopes of swaying the young man into taking some form of action, but she understood his helpless state. She couldn't expect a single Crown Prince to do something when a king and his entire court could not figure out what to do.

Lady Shin's words had been on his mind since their conversation and were once again highlighted by Hongjoong's visit. Seonghwa, despite his reluctance, would do something. Though he was seen as a good-for-nothing Crown Prince by the court, he truly did care for his kingdom but was never given a chance to show it. This was his chance to do something for his kingdom, and he would sooner rot in hell's most putrid crevice than idly stand by.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, but can someone please let know if I've been referring to the Sunless Mountain as the Sunless Kingdom because I caught myself slipping on this chapter. Thank :^)


	9. The Young Prince Arrives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn, I basically haven't updated in a month! My original plan was to get the members' introductory chapters out and then start posting new chapters on a weekly basis, but this month has completely thrown off that schedule. I'm currently in the process of moving and my dog's been needing some medical attention, so I wasn't able to accomplish all I wished to have done. That being said, I did get to write more and finally got around to really organizing the story and giving some previously unnamed characters names. Anyway, the chapter that comes after this one might take a while to be posted as it hasn't even gone through the first round of proofreading. 
> 
> Thanks for sticking around!

Yeosang had been traveling for a few days before he arrived at Misty Hollow. Because of the success of his plan to avoid his two guards, he had saved enough time to arrive earlier than scheduled. He would have been able to do so had it not been for a rather large elk he befriended along the way. The elk found a way to get its antlers stuck between two thick branches, so Yeosang did what came naturally to him and aided the distressed beast that could, accounting for its bodyweight alone, stomp and thrash him to death if it was frightened enough. The elk, however, decided that Yeosang was a friend and refused to leave his side after the whole ordeal.

This resulted in Yeosang arriving at the exact time he was originally scheduled to arrive. His entrance into Misty Hollow caused a great stir among the residents as it was very rare to see a visitor, let alone an elvish prince in lavish white and gold robes with a gigantic elk by his side. They had last seen a prince from the Woodland Tower years ago when the Crown Prince was just a baby, and the elk was surely a first. Who could blame the wizards of Misty Hollow for their inquisitive reactions to the prince?

Word had spread of the prince's arrival and had very quickly reached the ears of two particularly mischievous sworn brothers. The young wizards heard of the prince's arrival while buying supplies for their beloved fireworks which they decided to modify to be much grander and much more of a nuisance to the Grandmaster now that their plans had to be postponed. The troublemakers paid the shopkeeper and rushed to the Choi household to drop off their supplies. Once their supplies were nicely concealed in the newly fixed drawer San had ultimately asked Wooyoung to fix, both boys set off to the Sorcerer's Temple where the Grandmaster had been expecting them.

Being the Grandmaster's grandson, it was Wooyoung's duty to be there to welcome Misty Hollow's guests. As for San, the Choi family was considered as a sort of nobility in Misty Hollow for their work in protecting the village. Usually, the Choi family would have much preferred to have sent one of their daughters in San's stead, but the Grandmaster specifically requested for San to be their representative. The Grandmaster had explained to San's parents that it would be easier for him to ensure that the Two Mischiefmakers were on their best behavior if he had both hoodlums close to him at all times.

The sleeves of their more formal outer robes billowed as they made their way to the temple through the rooftops to get to their destination faster. Wooyoung could have sworn he spotted large antlers as they raced to the temple, but decided to not think much of it as they had other things to attend to. The two arrived at the temple out of breath, with San boasting that he had been the fastest out of the two. His gleeful jabs at Wooyoung were cut short by the Grandmaster's looming presence behind them. The boys turned to face the Grandmaster and bowed.

"Did I not instruct you two to arrive here early to welcome the Crown Prince?! Where have you two been?!" the Grandmaster scolded.

"We were just in town, Grandfather. Besides, I heard that he's only just arrived," Wooyoung replied.

"Which means you are late! You should have been here at least an hour before his arrival to Misty Hollow. As the Grandmaster's heir, it is your duty to ensure that everything is prepared for his welcome," the Grandmaster shot back, resulting in the boys bowing their heads as they were admonished.

"And you, did you even try to do anything with that unruly mop on your head? Are you trying to look ridiculous wearing ceremonial robes with your hair looking as disheveled as ever? Fix it!" the Grandmaster chided at San, whose hair had been freed from its loosely tied ribbon while the boys glided on the rooftops.

The Grandmaster walked off back into the temple with both boys following a bit of a distance behind.

"He seems tense," San commented low enough for only Wooyoung to hear.

"I suppose he just wouldn't want to insult His Royal Greatness," Wooyoung whispered back.

The Grandmaster shot a glare back at the snickering boys, causing them to straighten up at once.

Wooyoung assisted in patting down San's messy mane, his own hair pulled up in a neat knot atop his head with some shorter pieces in the front framing his forehead. They stopped messing with San's hair once it was no longer sticking up in every direction. San's hair flowed down to his collarbones with the parting much closer to one side than to the middle where San thought would just make him look strange. It was still considered far too casual to match his robes, but it would have to do for the time being.

The boys then took their seats at one of the tables that had been arranged for the occasion. Their seats were closest to Grandmaster Jung's, whose seat was placed in the back and center of the temple. There were tables on both sides of the Grandmaster which had been reserved for those of higher status in Misty Hollow as well as for the Crown Prince. Wooyoung and San had been the last to arrive from Misty Hollow though none of the other wizards paid them any mind after having grown used to their antics.

The Crown Prince's chair was directly across from Wooyoung's—much to Wooyoung's annoyance. He had yet to hear anything mildly entertaining about the Crown Prince of the Woodland Tower, and he sure was not looking forwards to having to face him for a couple of hours. San, who sat next to Wooyoung, pitied his sworn brother but not nearly enough to not tease him about it.

"How lucky you are, Brother! There are many who would do anything to sit across the Crown Prince for hours," San mocked, earning a hard shove from Wooyoung.

This caught the Grandmaster's attention which resulted in both boys being forced to sit still in their seats with the use of a spell typically used for unruly children. The Grandmaster was about to scold them once more when a female disciple announced that the Crown Prince had arrived at the temple. With that, all those in the temple rose from their seats just as the prince made his entrance. The Grandmaster sneakily made a rising gesture with his hand, causing Wooyoung and San to stiffly stand up with the rest of the wizards in the temple.

Much to the elk's displeasure, Yeosang entered the temple after leaving his new elk friend outside. It seemed that quite a lot of thought had been put into his visit with the temple being decorated with purple flags with a crescent moon insignia and tables which he assumed were not usually there. After all, it was a temple, not a great hall. He stopped walking and admiring the temple once he was in front of Grandmaster Jung.

"Grandmaster Jung," he said with a bow, "I am Kang Yeosang, the youngest prince of the Woodland Tower. It is an honor to make your acquaintance."

The prince's introduction caused many to look at Yeosang in confusion, for they had believed that it would be the Crown Prince who would be attending. However, the Grandmaster, who had assumed the same, did remember that the letter from the Woodland Tower only stated that a representative of the Woodland Tower would arrive. It never specified if it would be the Crown Prince. Thus, the Grandmaster greeted Yeosang with the same respect he would have given the Crown Prince and urged him to take his seat.

It was a tradition in Misty Hollow to have a feast whenever a guest arrived at one's household, and with the village being regarded as the Grandmaster's household, he held a feast. Yeosang had arrived just at dinner time which the Grandmaster viewed as a sign of good fortune.

With everyone sat down, the Grandmaster took the time to cast a protection spell over the ceremony as the food was being brought out by younger disciples. Yeosang had noticed, during all of this, that the two wizards sat across from him had been looking at him curiously. They both looked to be his age with one wearing black and purple robes, signifying that he was related to the Grandmaster, and the other with loose hair that contrasted his formal black and blue robes.

Once the food was laid out in front of them, Yeosang and the wizards in the temple began to eat. He had made light conversation with the wizard that sat next to him. The wizard explained to him this tradition of having a feast for guests and rambled on about other things. Yeosang would occasionally look toward the two he had been observing earlier and noticed that they had visibly relaxed and started eating. The wizard he was speaking to noticed Yeosang's reaction and explained.

"Those two are the Grandmaster's grandson and the grandson's sworn brother. They have quite an affinity for mischief, so I assume the Grandmaster cast a spell on them to keep them from causing any trouble."

Yeosang found this odd, but nonetheless found the idea of two mischievous wizards being so closely related to the Grandmaster quite amusing. He was starting to find his trip to Misty Hollow to be much less boring than he anticipated.

Once they were done eating, the two wizards stiffened back up with both of them giving the Grandmaster a glare. They were pleasantly surprised by the lack of Crown Prince in the temple but kept their reservations to the prince before them. Wooyoung thought he seemed much more laid-back than others he had heard about from the Woodland Tower while San simply just thought he seemed amicable enough with how he conversed with Master Jo so politely.

The feast lasted a couple of hours with a few wizards trying their best to compose themselves after having drunk a fair bit. Yeosang was pleasantly surprised that the atmosphere was much warmer and wholesome than he was used to in the tower. He had heard quite a bit about the secluded wizards of Misty Hollow, but all the rumors centered around their elusiveness and secrecy shrouded the hollow in a cold layer of mystery that failed to represent their warm and somewhat playful nature.

Once the feast was over, Grandmaster Jung introduced Prince Yeosang to the other wizards in the temple, including the two frozen clowns, before many of them left. In the end, the only ones left were Grandmaster Jung, Yeosang, San, and Wooyoung. The disciples who served them appeared once again and quickly tidied up the temple using their magic to make what would have been a hefty hour or so of cleaning to just about five minutes. Yeosang stood before the Grandmaster as all the tables were cleared away, with the two mischievous wizards awkwardly staying in their spots despite having the cushions used for seats ripped out from beneath them.

The Grandmaster sat at the table he used for studying and urged Yeosang to sit across from him. He unfroze Wooyoung and San and gestured for them to come toward him and the young prince.

"Prince Yeosang, as I've stated briefly during the feast, this is my grandson Wooyoung and his sworn brother San of the Choi family. I understand that the topic we are to discuss should be discussed without an audience; however, I feel that they will find a way to involve themselves whether or not we wish them to," the Grandmaster explained.

The Grandmaster had guessed Wooyoung and San's intentions correctly. Just as they were troublesome, they were also curious. Both of them were sure that the reason the Woodland Tower sent the prince over was to discuss the upcoming war. They had been doing their best to closely follow what was going on between the humans and vampires, but it was difficult to get any outside information in such a secluded place as Misty Hollow.

"There's no need to worry, Grandmaster. We'll just be listening on and making no disruptions," San assured with a dazzling smile, his dimples adding to the innocent image he was trying to portray.

"Your presence is disruption enough. Sit," the Grandmaster ordered gruffly as Yeosang held back a laugh.

Wooyoung sat next to Yeosang while San sat beside Wooyoung. Grandmaster Jung looked at the three young men and felt that Yeosang seemed to fit in quite nicely with the two wizards. He decided that it must have been fate that brought the young prince over in the place of his older brother.

"Grandmaster Jung, my brother sent me here in his stead. He told me that we were to meet without specifying further than because of 'how things are going', and although I assume he means the human-vampire conflict, I am still a bit lost, to be honest," Yeosang told the Grandmaster.

San scoffed, which Yeosang believed it was directed toward him. However, San's involuntary reaction was not aimed at Yeosang but at the Crown Prince. Upon sensing that his reaction was not well received he explained.

"My apologies. I just felt that the Crown Prince did you a disservice by informing you so sparsely," San apologized awkwardly as the Grandmaster's glare was cast down upon him.

The Grandmaster changed his expression to a much more kind one once he turned to Yeosang. If his aged mind remembered correctly, the boy must have been his grandson's age. He hoped that by observing him, Wooyoung would learn how to be less of a trickster and act more like the heir to the title of Grandmaster.

"Since that is the case, I will explain why we are meeting as well as why I find it convenient to have these two here," the Grandmaster told Yeosang, gesturing to Wooyoung and San.

"That would be greatly appreciated, Grandmaster," Yeosang replied politely.

The Grandmaster began to explain that, in congruence with Yeosang's guess, the state of the human-vampire conflict was escalating rapidly. He spoke about how both sides were becoming much more hostile towards each other and how the war was certainly not going to be contained within the two realms.

"I had sensed that the situation would become this way from the very beginning, but I hoped both sides would come to their senses before war broke out. King Kang is aware of this and has been advised to increase the security of the Woodland Tower and its territory as well as to start preparing himself and his army to enter the fight. No major kingdom will be exempt, I'm afraid.

With that said, I do believe that there is something much bigger than this war to be worrying about. In fact, I would be bold enough to say that it is the cause of this war."

The three young men before him gave him confused looks before the Grandmaster continued. 

"You see, there exists an object forged in the mines of Silent Peak. Long ago, wizards were wanderers with many sacred temples scattering the land. One of these wandering wizards, our very own ancestor, was good friends with the dwellers of Silent Peak. The beast-shifters had found a fortune in the mountain and created a system of mines. Wishing for her friends to be protected from the evils such fortune could bring out from within one's soul, our ancestor cast a spell on a small yet particularly beautiful jewel. This spell made it so that the beast-shifters of Silent Peak, who were already few in numbers, would prosper and live peacefully along the mountain, never to have their hearts darkened by the curse of fortune. The spell on the jewel also kept the beast-shifters safe from the malice of others.

All was well for several years until word of the jewel—named the Jewel of Starlight—spread. Many believed that owning the jewel would bring power and peace over their home, so many kingdoms attempted to steal it from the beast-shifters. It wasn't until a human tricked the kindhearted beast-shifters into believing that he was a friend. The human spent years among the beasts until one day, he decided to make his move. He stole the jewel and ran as far away as he could. By the time the beast-shifters realized the jewel had been stolen, he was already long gone.

No one else knew the jewel had already been stolen, so the attacks on Silent Peak continued. However, without the jewel, the only defense the shifters had against their attackers was themselves. The beast-shifters have not been heard of since, so it is assumed that their particular species of beast-shifters died off with the attacks," the Grandmaster explained, the three boys before him listening intently.

"What does this jewel have to do with the war, Grandfather?" Wooyoung asked after taking in his grandfather's words.

"I have reason to believe that the jewel is in possession of a human kingdom that is directly involved with the conflict. Our ancestor created the jewel for protection; however, she also cursed the jewel in such a way that only the beast-shifters of Silent Peak would prosper with the possession of the jewel.

Our ancestor was kind enough to leave her journals behind for us to read. One of the journals details how the curse works. If the jewel is stolen from the beast-shifters of Silent Peak, the thief may prosper. In fact, their descendants may prosper for generations; however, there will come a time when the jewel will unleash its vengeance. Those in possession of the jewel, that are not the beast-shifters it was forged to protect, will suffer greatly from their worst trait. If one is prideful, the very thing that gives them pride will be taken from them. If one is greedy, everything that they have ever wanted and cherished will be ripped away.

Because there is an interval of time in which the jewel works in favor of the thief and their descendants, our ancestor made it so that however successful and prosperous one becomes from the jewel will determine how severe their punishment will be. Assuming that the jewel has been kept by the human's descendants all these years, it is wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that this war is a result of the jewel taking vengeance for its master," the Grandmaster answered.

"Then what should we do, Grandmaster Jung?" Yeosang asked.

"If the jewel is the problem, then why don't we just find the jewel and destroy it? The people it was meant to keep safe have already been destroyed, so it wouldn't matter who the jewel goes to, it would only bring doom to whoever possesses it," San suggested, earning a look from the Grandmaster that he couldn't quite decipher.

"You are right, San," the Grandmaster stated.

"My apologies, Grandmaster. I really should learn when to keep my mou— huh?" San started before the Grandmaster's words fully sunk in.

The Grandmaster who, though kind and much like a grandfather to him, had always been so stern with San was actually taking one of his suggestions seriously. Granted, San had never really had any serious suggestions before, but it still surprised him nonetheless.

"You are correct, San. If the beast-shifters of Silent Peak have truly been vanquished, then it would only be right if the jewel goes along with them. However, if, somehow, descendants of the beast-shifters remain, then it is essential that the jewel is returned to its rightful owner," the Grandmaster spoke with certainty.

"What do you suggest for the Woodland Tower to do, Grandmaster Jung?" Yeosang asked seriously.

Yeosang was never one to involve himself with any sort of conflict and strayed away from anything his brother would be able to handle; however, hearing the story of the beast-shifters seemed to strike a nerve in him. Yeosang was unlike his brother who was always much more preoccupied with his kingdom and only ever really cared for the safety of himself and his subjects. Yeosang didn't believe that any living creature was worth more than another, and the idea that a whole species of beast-shifters may have been wiped out due to greed made his blood boil. It did not matter how precious the jewel was, it was not worth even a single life of one of those beast-shifters, let alone the entire species.

"The Woodland Tower should continue preparing itself. I would advise that all other kingdoms do the same. I was hoping that the Woodland Tower would send someone willing to undertake the task of retrieving the jewel. Would you be willing to do so, Prince Yeosang?" the Grandmaster asked.

Yeosang's first instinct was to immediately decline the Grandmaster's proposition; however, his mind would not stop wondering towards the beast-shifters who had suffered so much due to the greed of one human being. If he was to do anything for himself and for his kingdom, it would be to avenge these beast-shifters and prove to his brother that he wasn't just idly wasting his life away caring for creatures.

"Yes, Grandmaster," Yeosang answered with determination.

"Good. You will be accompanied by my two most skilled disciples," the Grandmaster stated, earning a perplexed look from Wooyoung and San.

"Who are they?" San asked just as Wooyoung started connecting the dots.

Wooyoung's eyes shone with understanding before elbowing San's side rather harshly and calling him a moron.

"What was that for?!" San exclaimed, holding onto his side.

The Grandmaster turned to Yeosang with an amused expression.

"I am deeply sorry for not being able to come up with more promising disciples. I am afraid these are the best I could find," the Grandmaster mocked.

Yeosang laughed at the Grandmaster's change in mood as he heard San whisper "oh" once he understood what was going on.

"When do we leave?" Wooyoung asked, his stern expression scarily resembling his grandfather's.

"As soon as you are able to. I have already spoken with Master and Lady Choi and have had some of your underlings prepare a bag with food and water for your journey," Grandmaster Jung answered.

"Then I suppose I should ask the question to you, Prince Yeosang. When do we leave?" San asked.

Yeosang immediately felt suffocated by the stares of the two wizards next to him as they waited for his response. He never had people look up to him in such a way, and he had no idea how he became the leader of the three. Shouldn't it be the Grandmaster's grandson who acts in such a role? Or even the Choi boy for having come up with the solution?

"Prince Yeosang has just arrived, so I advise that you take this night to rest. The journey ahead of you all is not an easy one," the Grandmaster advised, saving Yeosang from having to answer.

"Then we will leave tomorrow. We shall have breakfast and be on our way," San decided himself.

"I agree," Wooyoung commented.

"I see no problem with that plan," Yeosang added.

"I'm glad you have all decided then. That being said, I do feel as if you're taking a leadership role in this company of three. It makes me highly uncomfortable if I'm being perfectly honest," the Grandmaster told San.

Yeosang hoped that this was the case. Among the three, he felt the least qualified to lead any type of quest, let alone one as important as the one they were about to embark on.

"Don't worry, Grandfather. I will be there to ensure that everything goes well," Wooyoung assured as the Grandmaster's expression darkened.

"Well, the best I can do is wish you all luck. If it weren't for my age and responsibility here at Misty Hollow, I would be doing this myself. I will see you all in the morning," the Grandmaster dismissed.

The three boys stepped out of the temple and went their separate ways. Wooyoung, after the shock of having met such a huge elk, led Yeosang and his elk friend to the guesthouse where Yeosang would be staying in. He then rushed to his own home where a night of practicing spells and much-needed rest awaited him. Similarly, San raced home in hopes of being a disturbance to his household one last time before setting off on an adventure.


	10. The Visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well howdy, everyone. So perhaps I may just be slow at updating ha...
> 
> Anyway, I've been itching to post this chapter, but progress has been pretty slow. I'm in the process of moving, so writing is not my main priority right now. That being said, I have prepared a decent outline for this story (finally!), so now my brain is a little less scattered. Hopefully I'll be able to upload chapters promptly once this whole moving situation settles. 
> 
> With that said, I was thinking of writing for Ateez's storyline event, so please forgive me for leaving this story in the backburner! The story I'm writing for the event will not be as long as this one will be, so I shouldn't be gone for long! 
> 
> Thank you for being patient with my slow update speed! I will do my best to be a more diligent writer!

Jongho entered the room his mother was in and found that all of his family members were present along with a strange man he had never seen before. The man sported blue-green robes with a sword on his hip. The sword's tassel, also blue-green, had what looked like a silver coin though upon closer inspection, the "coin" had some sort of engraving on it that Jongho couldn't make out from the distance.

"Jongho, this is General Kim of Haejin Kingdom. He has come to Beonhwa Village with word from his king," Lady Choi explained with a serious expression.

"It is an honor to finally meet Beonhwa Village's most promising Protector and future Head Keeper," General Kim greeted respectfully.

Jongho responded with a curt nod, his face remaining stoic. The Keepers of Beonhwa Village were always careful when dealing with officials from any of the great kingdoms of Man. Beonhwa Village had a lot of pride in being independent and did not want any of the kingdoms to cause trouble for them. Showing preference to one kingdom may affect the flow of visitors from other kingdoms. This could greatly affect the innkeepers and merchants of the village, which make up most of the village's population. Furthermore, big kingdoms always had some sort of conflict brewing in which Beonhwa Village simply wanted no part of.

Jongho specifically did not like dealing with the people of the Haejin Kingdom. The common folk were kind enough and not much different from anyone from any of the other human kingdoms, but the officials and nobles of Haejin seemed to be a different breed. Their smiles were kind and gentle though their eyes gleamed with a sort of dark energy that did not sit right with Jongho. They spoke nicely and politely though a hint of arrogance was tightly laced around each word they uttered.

"All the Keepers of the village are present. You may speak," Master Choi, co-Head Keeper along with his wife, said sternly to General Kim.

The patriarch of the Choi family was a gentle and kind man with a warm smile, but when provoked or when he felt something wasn't right, his demeanor changed drastically. This was characteristic of the entire Choi family. They were all warm and approachable but were not the type of people one would want to mess with.

"Yes, Master Choi. His Majesty has sent out messengers to every human realm to propose that we form an alliance. You see, the human-vampire conflict is not limited to just one human realm but to several. His Majesty has proposed that all human realms band together to defeat the great evil that has plagued this earth for far too long. His Majesty, King Lee, has sent this humble servant to ask for the great Beonhwa Village's assistance in the war that is to come," General Kim said, noticing the darkened expressions of the Choi family.

Though he was a strict general who fought ruthlessly in battle, he felt particularly meek compared to the members of the Choi family. Even the little ones seemed to give off a dark aura as he spoke. It was no wonder the king sent him instead of one of the regular messengers. The family's expressions alone would have been enough to scare the messengers away.

"Your king must know that Beonhwa Village does not take part in the conflict of others," Lady Choi replied.

"Of course, Lady Choi. However, this war is much more than just a conflict between kingdoms. This is a war between humans and vampires," General Kim retorted with the overly polite tone Jongho despised.

"We are all well aware of who the war concerns. Still, why must Beonhwa Village be involved? If your king is seeking aid from the other human kingdoms, then wouldn't that be enough to go against the Sunless Mountain, whose people we also cater to here?" Jongho argued.

General Kim knew that Jongho made some solid points in raising the issue of the village's economy. Though not many vampires visited Beonhwa Village, they were still a considerable amount to the point where the village had to import criminals from other kingdoms to feed the vampires that stayed in the village.

"Well, you see, Young Master Choi, the vampires of the Sunless Mountain are ruthless, trained from a very young age to fight. It is true that we far outnumber the vampires, but their innate abilities put us at a disadvantage. We need all the help we can get. This is why His Majesty has sent me. If there is any one group of humans that could fairly go against the vampires of the Sunless Mountain, it is the great Protectors of Beonhwa Village," General Kim, growing desperate to convince the stubborn Keepers, explained.

"Your king is out of luck then. The Protectors of Beonhwa Village serve the people of Beonhwa Village alone. They are neither an army nor a militia. They are protectors, and they will remain as such," Lady Choi declared with clear displeasure apparent on her beautiful features.

General Kim grew annoyed with the stubborn family though his face remained with the same friendly expression he had worn throughout the entire conversation. King Lee was determined to have the Protectors of Beonhwa Village under his control while General Kim was simply not one to let an opportunity slide. The Kingdom of Haejin was situated on the coast while the Sunless Mountain was deeply inland. It would be greatly advantageous to have an ally that is closer inland. Besides, Beonhwa Village was one of the best places to gather information due to the variety of people that stayed in the village. It seemed that for him to get what he and his king wanted, he would have no choice but to use force.

"I understand, Lady Choi. However, His Majesty has declared that any of those that do not send at least one person from their realm to assist in the fight will be considered a traitor to their species and will be dealt with as such. Many kingdoms have already agreed to join us. Beonhwa Village will suffer greatly if it does not send at least one person," General Kim responded, his face still friendly though his eyes were cunning.

This is the sort of trick Jongho expected from a general of Haejin. Though he had not known what exactly the catch would be if they didn't join, Jongho was sure it would not be pleasant. Even so, such an outrageous condition did not sit well with any of the members of the Choi family. Even the little ones, who were only there for formalities, understood that King Lee's declaration was not something good.

"What right does your king have to declare such a thing over those that are not his subjects? Does he think that because Haejin is the biggest human kingdom that he can get away with giving independent realms orders?" Master Choi scoffed angrily.

Before General Kim could react, Jongho interjected.

"This does not change their stance, Father. When have the people of Haejin shown any regard for those other than their own?" Jongho commented icily, finally seeing a crack in the amicable facade General Kim had been putting up.

"With such a threat from King Lee, it seems we have no other choice then," Lady Choi stated bitterly.

"This is not a threat from His Majesty, rather an incentive to do one's part," General Kim replied, putting on his mask of kindness once again.

"I will call a dagger what it is. With that said, Beonhwa Village will send one of our Protectors to Haejin. We will speak with Lady Han to determine which one of our Protectors it will be," Lady Choi decided.

None of the other Keepers objected to this. If they must comply with King Lee's orders, they will do so with minimum effort. If they only need to send one person to Haejin, they will only send one.

"It is much easier to adjust to a new setting when one is in a group. Don't you think it would be difficult for your Protector to adapt if they go by themselves?" General Kim said, trying to squeeze more Protectors out of Lady Choi's grip.

"Haejin will receive one Protector, and that is the final decision of the Keepers of Beonhwa Village," Master Choi finalized, much for General Kim's dismay.

"Very well, Master Choi. I will await your decision on which Protector you will send," General Kim replied bittersweetly.

General Kim said his farewell to the family before heading to the inn he had been staying in. The inn just so happened to be the one in which Jongho was in earlier. General Kim had witnessed Jongho deal with the drunkard with his own eyes. At the time, he found that this specific Keeper of Beonhwa Village was quite intimidating. Now, after meeting him for the first time, he still believed he was quite terrifying.

Meanwhile, in the Choi residence, Lady Han sat down with the Choi family to discuss the matter at hand. Master and Lady Choi gave Lady Han the rundown on what had just occurred with grim expressions while Jongho put his siblings to bed.

"Because you are Head Protector and a dear friend, we ask that you help us choose a Protector to send," Master Choi explained.

"I see," Lady Han replied pensively.

The first disciple of hers to come to mind for this task was, of course, Jongho; however, she understood that the trip to Haejin was not the safest nor was Haejin itself the kindest to outsiders. She did not want to send her most capable disciple into the lion's den. Frankly speaking, she did not like the idea of having to send away any of the Protectors to begin with. She was a strict leader but having seen all of her disciples grow up before her very eyes made her heart soft. She did not desire to have children of her own solely because she considered herself like a stern mother to all her disciples.

"Are you all still choosing who to send?" Jongho asked as he walked in.

He sat on one side of the table that put him in between Lady Choi and Lady Han. His father nods, giving him an answer to his question. Jongho had already been thinking about this matter and had already decided his solution, but it would not be one that any of the three Heads of Beonhwa Village would have a particular fondness of. Even so, he did not waste time and delivered his solution to his parents and Lady Han.

"I will go. It is not fair for any of us, but I feel that it would be much more unfair to send any of my brothers and sisters to do something I could—and should—be doing," Jongho stated firmly.

Lady Choi looked to her son with a sad yet proud expression. She felt that this boy she had raised so passionately had become a sensible man with a kind heart. However, as a mother, the idea of sending her son to such a place as Haejin terrified her. Nonetheless, she conceded.

"Are you absolutely certain that this is what you want to do?" Master Choi asked, mimicking his son's firm tone.

"Yes, Father. I understand the dangers that I will be facing and wish to spare my brothers and sisters of this peril," Jongho replied.

"Then who are we to turn down such a capable volunteer?" Lady Han said bittersweetly.

"When will you be leaving?" Lady Choi asked with a sigh.

"Tomorrow. I'm sure General Kim would not want to be kept waiting," Jongho responded.

With that resolved, Lady Han left the Choi household as the rest of the members of the family prepared for bed. Jongho, after having bathed and dressed, lied on his bed with a million thoughts swirling through his brain. His mind was preoccupied with all the dangers he would face, all the fake smiles he would have to put up with, and all of the people he would miss. He wished that these rampant thoughts would escape his skull through his ears and leave his mind at ease. Eventually, he fell asleep despite his raging thoughts.

The next day, Jongho woke up at around five in the morning. It was expected of all Protectors to have a strict sleeping schedule as it was part of the requirements to be a Protector. He quickly washed himself up and dressed in his uniform and green sash. He fastened his quiver on his back before doing the same with his bow and grabbed his sword.

Usually, Protectors only needed to keep their bows on them, but Jongho always carried his sword around. It was passed down through the Choi family and landed in his possession when it was affirmed that he knew how to use it. It was a beautifully crafted sword with patterns carved into the hilt. He became a good swordsman solely so that he could justify to himself having such a fine sword. Knowledge of swordsmanship was not the most extensive in Beonhwa Village, so he often asked the guests for help. This made him the best swordsman in Beonhwa Village as well as very knowledgeable on the different fighting styles of different realms. He found that the style of fighting he liked best was—ironically—that of vampires. It was so smooth and graceful that it looked like they were doing some type of sword dance. However, the beauty in their technique was merely a trick they used to hide the force in their attacks. Vampires did not have much need for swords as their abilities without any weapons were already terrifying enough, but some of them still learned to use them so that they could hide among humans better. It was Jongho's luck that many of the vampires that traveled carried swords, making it easier for him to go into one of the inns that served blood and find a kind soul willing to teach him. For this, many vampires knew him and thought of him with the same fondness one would give a child.

Jongho went to the kitchen where both his mother and father were cooking. His mother hated having people in her kitchen while she worked, but her husband's love language seemed to revolve around food. She ended up allowing him into the kitchen and later became accustomed to his helping presence after many years. Still, she acted as if she was annoyed and berated him every time he would do anything.

"Is this how you cut cabbage? After so many years of cooking and you can't even cut a cabbage correctly?" Lady Choi nagged, holding up an adequately sliced piece of cabbage.

"If you have complaints, please direct them to the one that taught me how to cook," Master Choi teased, causing an offended expression to fall on Lady Choi's features.

"Are you saying that I taught you how to slice cabbage wrong?! If you're going to criticize me then you can make yourself useful elsewhere!" Lady Choi huffed.

Jongho smiled as they continued to bicker playfully. They hadn't noticed their son standing at the entrance to the kitchen, and Jongho took advantage of that to observe them. These were the moments he would really miss while he was in Haejin. He just hoped that he would be able to make it back to this way of life once everything was over.

"Good morning!" Jongho exclaimed cheerfully with a sadness lingering in his eyes.

His parents both jumped in surprise and turned to glare at him.

"You! Say something when you enter a room! You've scared your mother!" his father scolded.

" _Me_? What about you? I was only startled. _You_ jumped six feet in the air and almost shrieked in fright!" Lady Choi exaggerated.

"I did no such thing!" Master Choi retorted.

"And you! Out of my kitchen! I already have to deal with this one in here!" Lady Choi said to Jongho as she turned back to stirring the stew she was preparing.

"It's good to see that you are both in good spirits then!" Jongho said sarcastically with a smile as he did as he was told.

Jongho was just about to head to the center of town where all the stalls would be setting up when he ran into one of his fellow Protectors with a very tall man by his side just outside the residence's door.


	11. A Wolf in Protector's Robes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hehe did you think I forgot about this story? You are wrong. I'm just lazy :^)

"Young Master Choi," the Protector, a teenage boy that was clearly one of Lady Han's new disciples, spoke nervously, "I apologize for troubling you so early in the morning. This man here is looking for work, but I have not heard of any place in Beonhwa Village that is hiring. I was wondering if any of the Keepers knew of any places here where he could find work."

"I see," Jongho said, looking at the man beside his comrade.

The man was well-built and of exceptionally tall stature. He wore plain robes, showing that he was not part of any of the big kingdoms or that he could not afford finer robes. His hair was long like most other men in Gudae, but unlike most men, his hair was left untied and was quite unruly. He had a kind face despite the nervousness that could be seen in his brown eyes.

Jongho thought it could be fun to help someone out on his last day in Beonhwa Village before leaving for Haejin, so he sent away the Protector and introduced himself to the man he had just met.

"Welcome to Beonhwa Village. I'm Choi Jongho and am one of the Keepers and Protectors of this village. What do you call yourself?" Jongho asked the man.

"I am Song Mingi. Thank you for having me," Mingi replied with a bow, "Many of the villages I've stopped by have outright refused me entrance, so it's nice to finally find a place so welcoming."

He had heard of Beonhwa Village and the Protectors that guarded it. It was truly impressive that such a village with no allegiance to any of the big kingdoms was so prosperous. It was also for its lack of affiliation with any big kingdoms that made Mingi feel more secure. Bigger kingdoms and those associated with them usually boasted a large network of guards much like those in the Glass Kingdom. Ultimately, he was glad Prince Hongjoong pointed him in the direction of this village.

"We welcome anyone that is decent regardless of who they are affiliated with or where they are from," Jongho explained, "Speaking of which, where do you come from if you don't mind me asking?"

"I come from the outskirts of the Glass Kingdom," Mingi answered honestly. 

He was always careful when meeting new people. He could never be sure of who would slight him for being a beast-shifter or who was genuinely a decent person, but this Young Master gave him a good feeling. He seemed sincere with his words and gave him a sense of security.

"Then tell me, Song Mingi. What skills do you have to offer? Beonhwa Village is known mostly for our inns, so I would assume you are able to work in that sort of environment," Jongho told Mingi.

"Well, I have never been to an inn, so I am unsure of what I would have to do. Even still, I am a fast learner and am willing to do just about anything that pays," Mingi responded.

"I see. How about we ask around in some of the inns and see if any of them are willing to take in a new worker. I'm sure they could have some use for you," Jongho said, urging Mingi to follow him.

Just as they were about to head out into the waking center of the village, a growling noise emitted from Mingi's stomach. Having been a werewolf with a big appetite, he had eaten all the food his parents packed for him quite early on in his journey. This forced him to hunt which would have been easy enough if it weren't for the small size of all the animals in the area. He'd have to catch a lot of rabbits to satisfy his appetite.

Jongho turned to look at Mingi with an amused expression while Mingi's expression was red with embarrassment.

"Well, hunger is something that cannot be helped. Come on in. My parents should be finishing up with breakfast," Jongho said, opening the door to his home and gesturing for Mingi to go in.

Mingi, after recovering from the shock of being invited into a human home so willingly and nonchalantly, went in and thanked Jongho for his kindness. Now, he was _very_ glad that Prince Hongjoong pointed him toward the direction of Beonhwa Village.

"Mother, Father, we have a guest," Jongho called out, leading Mingi to the common space of the residence.

Mingi followed behind, completely forgetting the nerves that plagued him before. Despite the necklace that Prince Hongjoong gave him, he was still scared of being found out. He was previously assured that Beonhwa Village was kind to all of its guests, but he had never heard of a beast-shifter staying in an inn or walking freely amongst humans.

Master Choi looked up as he finished setting the variety of dishes on the table. His normally kind expression was tinged with shock upon seeing the height of their guest. He quickly recovered and welcomed his guest as Lady Choi entered the room after having cleaned up the kitchen. She, too, was briefly stunned by Mingi's height before giving him a warm smile and welcoming him to their home.

Mingi, who had never had a cooked meal before, looked at the food hungrily. Because his family lived in a cave, they always ate in their wolf form. This meant that they could eat the food they caught raw. This also meant that none of the Song children knew how to use any utensils, but this was not on Mingi's mind as his heightened sense of smell brought him to heaven.

The three present members of the Choi family and Mingi sat down to eat while trying to get to know more of each other. Mingi learned that there were also two little ones in the family, but they would not be join them as they were in their room sleeping. In the short time that he was there, he learned that the Choi family were indeed very kind and warm people, making him optimistic about how the rest of the people of Beonhwa Village would treat him.

All was well until Mingi picked up the chopsticks beside his plate. He had been eating the stew whilst they talked, but as a true carnivore, he needed meat to survive. He had been discreetly watching each of his hosts closely, studying how they used their chopsticks. He did his best to mimic the action, but it was clear that he had never used them before. After a while, his hand started cramping up, having not been used to the movement.

While the parents of the Choi family talked, Jongho could see his guest holding his chopsticks rather awkwardly and with great difficulty. Jongho thought that it was strange for a grown man to not know how to use chopstick, but he decided to shrug it off for the time being. To avoid bringing more attention to Mingi's struggle, he passed Mingi the meat using his own chopsticks.

Mingi looked at Jongho with embarrassment for the second time that morning and thanked him quietly. The four of them ate peacefully as Mingi thought more and more of how lucky he was to have found such kind people that were willing to not only help him in his search for work but also to have invited him into their home and fed him. To show his thanks, he helped Master Choi clear up the table as Lady Choi and Jongho stayed behind to talk.

"That boy is a beast-shifter," Lady Choi stated once Mingi and her husband left for the kitchen.

Jongho looked at her in mild shock before a knowing expression took over his handsome features. Jongho thought that their guest was quite strange, but he chalked it up to just simply being strange and nothing else. However, his mother's words made sense. Most humans his age would have owned at least one pair of decent clothing, but Mingi wore plain robes that seemed to have fit him slightly too small. Mingi also clearly did not know how to use chopsticks and had subpar table manners, which was, objectiely, quite strange for someone their age.

"It seems so," Jongho agreed.

"You know, I've met many people that could eat in great quantities, but this guest of ours has an appetite that is absolutely inhuman," Lady Choi said in disbelief.

This was true though none of the members of the Choi family said anything while Mingi was in the room. He could have merely been starving without anyone knowing, but it was still far too much food for a single person to eat in one sitting. He had eaten most of the food in the dishes, leaving the Choi family with very little food.

"Take him with you to Haejin. I will personally hire him to protect you while you're there," Lady Choi decided.

Jongho once again looked at her in disbelief and with a bit of indignation. Jongho felt that he could take care of himself just fine. Even so, he didn't dare to voice this to Lady Choi. She was very protective of all of the people of Beonhwa Village but most especially her children.

"I know that you set out to leave later on today, but I advise that you stay one day longer to teach him the basics of combat. His innate strength and abilities should be enough to get him by, but it would be suspicious if we send you to Haejin with someone who only knows force and no technique," Lady Choi continued, seeing the slightly annoyed expression of her son.

"And if he agrees to go, he will be going whether you want him to or not. You have no say in this matter," Lady Choi added before Jongho could complain.

"Yes, Mother. I'll let General Kim know that we will depart a day later than we had previously decided," Jongho says before standing up to leave for the inn General Kim was staying in.

"Tell General Kim that he is a Protector as well. I doubt King Lee would accept him otherwise. Also, take the boy to Lady Han. Tell her that he is in need of a bow and arrow. Make sure to let her know that I have given you those orders," Lady Choi commanded.

"Yes, Mother," Jongho replied.

Jongho left his family's residence and headed to the most luxurious inn in all of Beonhwa Village. Though the people of Beonhwa Village lived humbly, they understood that some guests enjoyed the finer things in life. This is where all of their more wealthy guest stayed, meaning that this was where all of the influential guests from Haejin stayed. Upon entering, Jongho greeted the owner of the inn and quickly spotted General Kim at one of the tables in the dining space. He made his way over as other guests looked onto with admiration. Although they were wealthy, they didn't always have the opportunity of gazing at such a handsome young man with short, silky looking hair and boyish features.

"Young Master Choi. I was actually planning on paying you a visit once I finished here. I must have been blessed with good fortune to have had you come to me instead," General Kim said with the smile that made Jongho's skin crawl.

"So it seems. We will be departing one day later than planned. All of us have agreed to send one more Protector to Haejin," Jongho stated stoically, as General Kim's faux smile broke out into a real grin.

"Fantastic! I'm sure His Majesty would be happier to receive two Protectors instead of just one," General Kim said with actual glee.

"You said you were going to visit me earlier. What was the reason for your visit?" Jongho asked bluntly.

General Kim thought that Jongho lacked in manners, but he could not complain. Not only was he in Jongho's territory, but Jongho was also the most skilled Protector Beonhwa Village had to offer. He feared offending him and having to bring back a less capable fellow with him to Haejin.

"Ah yes," General Kim said, "it seems that I am needed at Haejin and have been told to arrive as soon as possible. I will be leaving once I am done eating. As for you and your friend, I will leave you a map in case you are unsure of how to get to Haejin."

Jongho choked back his relief and took the map General Kim handed him. He was relieved that he would not have to spend more time with the General and could just focus his attention on training Mingi while they traveled.

"I will see you in Haejin then, General Kim," Jongho stated before exiting the inn.

The innkeeper, who had been watching their interaction, thought that Jongho's behavior was strange. He was usually very polite, so seeing how he treated the general, he could tell that Jongho did not like him. Coming to this conclusion, he also decided to be cautious towards the general. There must have been a reason as to why Young Master Jongho treated General Kim so roughly.

Jongho made his way through the center of the village before entering a quaint fabric shop. Though this shop only sold fabrics, they also made the uniforms for the Protectors as they were not only the best tailors in Beonhwa Village but also had the best fabrics in the general area. Because of this, Jongho thought it would be best to get to the shop as early as possible before the swarm of people flooded in.

"Good morning, Mrs. Kwon," Jongho greeted as he stepped in, seeing the smiling elderly owner of the shop.

"Young Master Jongho! What a pleasure to have you here! Tell me, what can I do for you?" Mrs. Kwon spoke excitedly.

It was very rare that the Young Master visited her shop, so she was very pleasantly surprised to see his smiling face that seemed to light up the whole shop.

"I am in need of a set of Protector's robes as well as a set of normal robes," Jongho stated once he was stood in front of the counter.

"For yourself?" Mrs. Kwon asked.

"No, Mrs. Kwon. I will bring this fellow to you shortly. I just wanted to let you know before the shop got too busy," Jongho explained.

"I see. And when would you like me to get these to you?" Mrs. Kwon asked.

"Our situation is unique and might cause you some inconvenience. I will pay extra if you can get these to us done by tomorrow. It won't be a problem if you are only able to do one garment, though the Protector's uniform is the most important," Jongho replied abashedly.

He really did not want to be an inconvenience to this poor old lady, but no one would believe that Mingi is a Protector in the clothes he was in.

"My dear boy, if I could not rustle up two sets of robes for the Young Master of this most beautiful village, I would not dare call myself the best tailor in Beonhwa Village!" Mrs. Kwon replied in a joking manner though she was a bit worried about the time restraint.

"Of course, Mrs. Kwon. I will return shortly with the one the robes are for," Jongho said with a chuckle and a polite smile before leaving to get Mingi.

Once he arrived to his home, he entered the common space and found an astounded looking Mingi sitting across from his parents.

"So, Song Mingi, do you agree to our proposal?" Lady Choi asked, amused by Mingi's expression.

"Yes, Lady Choi," Mingi replied enthusiastically.

He really couldn't believe his luck that day. Not only had he been treated with more respect than he'd ever received from anyone outside of his family, he had also been hired by the Keepers of Beonhwa Village. And the pay is much higher than he would have ever dreamed of! He could probably buy a piece of land and buy his family a proper home with the amount he is being paid!

"Well, now that that is settled, I would like to remind you that Haejin Kingdom is not kind to beast-shifters like yourself. If you are found out, you are to leave immediately. If you return to us safely, we will pay you the amount we agreed upon and find you something else to do to get yourself some gold," Master Choi warned solemnly.

"I understand, Master Choi. I will do my best to learn how to blend in and keep Young Master Jongho safe," Mingi replied seriously.

"I suppose that now I can take him to get new robes then?" Jongho said, catching the attention of all the three people seated at the table.

"Oh, yes, of course! And don't forget to go to Lady Han once you're done!" Lady Choi replied, urging Mingi to follow Jongho.

"Well then, let's be on our way," Jongho stated before turning around and heading out of the common space.

Mingi quickly thanked Master and Lady Choi with a bow before following Jongho to the fabric shop. Jongho explained to Mingi the reason as to why they were heading to the fabric shop as they walked hastily through the streets that were slowly filling up with people.

Jongho entered the fabric shop and was once again greeted by Mrs. Kwon. One of Mrs. Kwon's sons was also in the shop this time. Mingi followed in after Jongho, having to lean down so as to not hit his head on the door frame.

"Mrs. Kwon, this is Song Mingi. This is the one I have requested the robes for," Jongho explained, gesturing to Mingi.

"My! What a tall and handsome young man! Well, no need to waste time. Let's go to the back of the shop to get your measurements," Mrs. Kwon said as she looked up at Mingi.

"Yes, ma'am," Mingi replied awkwardly as Mrs. Kwon grabbed his arm and pulled him to the back of the shop.

Jongho talked with Mrs. Kwon's son and helped out any with any customers that came in while he waited for Mingi and Mrs. Kwon to come back. Meanwhile, Mingi stood in the center of a fitting room feeling very uncomfortable and awkward. Mrs. Kwon quickly got all his measurements and wrote them down as she did so. She would ideally like to have a mock-up for Mingi to try on, but he was far too tall to fit into any of the ones she had on hand. She would just have to make quick adjustments the next day if her measurements were off.

"Now that that is over with, tell me which colors you would like your second set of robes. The Protectors uniform is black and silver, but you may choose the colors of your second robes as well as for the band on the waist of your uniform. Most Protectors opt for a silver sash because they are not from a distinguished family, but it is not against the rules for you to get another color," Mrs. Kwon explained.

Mrs. Kwon looked at Mingi's uncertain face and immediately began to show him different colors of fabric and showed him what they would look like paired with other colors. Mingi decided on a dark blue as the main color for his second set of robes and agreed with Mrs. Kwon on having the accents be black. However, Mingi was still unsure about the sash. He did not come from a distinguished family, but it felt wrong for him to have a silver sash like the rest of the Protectors. Though he didn't express this to Mrs. Kwon, she sensed his uncertainty once again and did her best to convince him to get a different color than silver. She always felt that choosing a silver sash was boring and desperately wanted to try out a different color. She just never got the chance with the other Protectors besides Jongho.

"How about this? Because you and Young Master Jongho would be the only ones with different colored bands, I won't add in the cost of the sash to the rest of the robes. You can choose whatever color you want!" Mrs. Kwon said excitedly.

"Are you sure, Mrs. Kwon? I don't want to cause you any trouble," Mingi asked politely.

"If I say it's fine, then it's fine! Look here. What about a nice red or this lovely orange—oh! I have just got my hands on this beautiful gold fabric that I have yet to try! How about it, Song Mingi- _ssi_?" Mrs. Kwon rambled before showing Mingi the gold fabric in her hands.

Immediately, Mingi knew that that was the color he wanted. His family may not have been distinguished enough to have one specific color to represent them, but they all did have the same eye color. Mingi told Mrs. Kwon that he would like the gold, causing Mrs. Kwon already ecstatic features to glow even brighter. She didn't know who this Song Mingi fellow was, but she was sure glad that he stopped by.

"Aright then. I will have your robes ready by tomorrow. Let's head out back to the front," Mrs. Kwon said, leading Mingi back out.

Once Mrs. Kwon and Mingi appeared, they found Jongho helping an elderly lady get some fabric off a particularly high shelf while Mrs. Kwon's son stood behind the counter and helped another patron. Mingi found the scene funny. Jongho looked quite intimidating with his bow and sword but still looked rather gentle while helping the elderly woman.

Once the old lady paid for her fabric and left, Mrs. Kwon spoke to Jongho, giving him an estimate over the price before the two boys left the shop. Mingi flinched at the price but saw that Jongho had a rather calm demeanor. Nothing less could be expected of such a well-respected young master.

"Where to next, Young Master Choi?" Mingi asked, following Jongho.

"We will be meeting with Lady Han. She is the Head of the Protectors and my mentor. She will help train you in combat as well as teach you how to shoot a bow. If we are going to have the people of Haejin believe you are a Protector, you will have to have the skills of one," Jongho explained.

"Ah, that makes sense," Mingi replied.

"And also, since we are going to be spending a lot of time with each other, please feel free to drop the formalities. It feels a bit strange being called Young Master by one of my peers," Jongho added.

Mingi marveled at Jongho for a couple of seconds. It was the first time someone outside of his family spoke to him so casually. He would have never expected this from anyone, let alone a human.

"Alright. How old are you, by the way?" Mingi asked once he recovered from the shock.

"As of this year, I am twenty-one. And yourself?" Jongho replied.

"I am a year older," Mingi answered.

"Then I will be sure to call you Mingi- _hyung_ from now on," Jongho stated in a friendly tone.

Mingi gave him a nod in response as they continued walking. Soon, the two men were in a large field filled with teenagers in grey robes while a tall and muscular woman walked along the neat rows of teens and helped them with their stances. These kids were the new Protectors in-training while the woman amongst them was Lady Han.

Upon noticing the boys, Lady Han instructed her new disciples to continue practicing while she spoke with Jongho and Mingi. Jongho and Mingi greeted Lady Han politely and Jongho explained the situation that they were in.

"I see. Once this training is over, I will go on to assist. As for now, feel free to use the rest of the training grounds to train this young man," Lady Han told Jongho.

"Yes, Lady Han. We greatly appreciate your assistance," Jongho replied before leading Mingi to the empty shooting range.

Jongho figured that he could teach Mingi the basics of hand-to-hand combat while they made their trip to Haejin; however, it would be much more difficult to teach Mingi how to shoot an arrow without at least some basic knowledge. Jongho grabbed one of the spare bows and passed it to Mingi before giving him one of the arrows that sat neatly on a table. The bow was just barely large enough for Mingi to hold it comfortably though it still looked quite small in his hands.

Jongho taught Mingi the basics of archery for a couple of hours before Lady Han appeared. By then, Mingi was able to hit some of the targets set up though he never got very close to the bullseye. Nonetheless, this was still quite impressive considering he had never held a bow in his life before.

"You are quite a fast learner, Song Mingi. Is this a common trait among beast-shifters?" Lady Han complimented as she watched Mingi hit one of the targets.

Lady Han's question reminded Mingi of his younger brother who had spent a large portion of his childhood figuring out how to hunt despite his instincts. Most beast-shifters would be skilled at this by a very young age, but his younger brother was just much slower than the rest, he supposed. With that said, he ended up becoming one of the best hunters in the pack, so his long years of training paid off.

"Not all of us are fast learners, I'm afraid," Mingi responded with a smile as he thought of his family.

"Well, then we should consider ourselves lucky. Come now, I will show you why the Protectors of Beonhwa Village are known as the strongest among men," Lady Han said confidently, urging both boys to follow her.

They were now once again in the field they had originally arrived at. Jongho set his weapons down and showed Mingi some of the most basic moves as Lady Han explained what Jongho was doing. The three of them spent many hours training before Lady Han finally had Jongho and Mingi spar.

Mingi did his best to conserve his strength as Lady Han had instructed him since the fight was not real but found that despite being human, Jongho had a great deal of endurance. The two sparred as Lady Han coached Mingi. Soon, Lady Han's instruction quieted down as she watched the two proudly. She knew after seeing Mingi do so well with the bow and arrow that he would catch onto Beonhwa Village's signature fighting style quite rapidly.

By the time Lady Han dismissed them, Mingi was already exhausted. He had been traveling for many days and was once again very hungry. Jongho, however, decided to make the most of their time in Beonhwa Village and take Mingi back to the shooting range. They stayed there until the sun started setting with both of their stomach rumbling.

"That's enough for today. Let's get you a bow and quiver from the arsenal and go home," Jongho said.

Mingi nodded and followed Jongho. As they walked Mingi praised Jongho's stamina. Any other human should have been dead on the ground by then, but he found that Jongho's endurance matched his own. With this in mind, he thought that if he trained this way more, maybe he would be able to increase his own stamina. Currently, he was at the average for a werewolf, but after training with Jongho for so many hours, he became quite motivated.

The boys made it to the arsenal and were there for a couple of minutes as Jongho helped Mingi find the bow and quiver he found most comfortable. Once they were done there, they went back the Choi residence and washed up. Mingi put on a fresh set of tattered robes from his bag before Jongho took the old ones to get them washed up, saying someone would get to washing them eventually. Mingi was then introduced to the rest of the Choi children as they ate. This time, there was way more food laid out than there was in the morning. The Choi parents understood that the appetite of a beast-shifter was far greater than a regular human's and had gone to the market to buy more meat.

After they ate, Jongho showed Mingi to his own room since there was no guest room in the Choi residence for him to sleep in. This was done solely because Beonhwa Village was filled with inns, so the need for a guest room never arose. However, Jongho doubted that Mingi would be able to afford to stay in one of the inns, and it would have been much more convenient for them anyway if they stayed in the same place. Jongho pestered Mingi into sleeping in his bed while he set some blankets and pillows for himself on the floor.

Mingi had never slept in a bed before and was very close to weeping once he laid down. This was the type of life he wanted for his family. All he ever hoped for was to be able to get them to a nice, comfortable place to live without the fear of humans harassing and attacking them. He was hopeful that if he stayed with the Keepers of Beonhwa Village, he would be able to make this dream a reality. And so, before falling asleep in his human form for the first time, he made a promise to himself that he would protect Jongho with all the strength he had to ensure that his family got to live the way they should.

•••

The next day, Mingi woke up to an incessant poking at his side. Jongho, who had already been awake for an hour, decided it was time to wake up Mingi by poking him and repeating the word " _hyung_ " over and over until he woke up. Jongho wondered if this _hyung_ 's sleeping habits were part of being a beast-shifter though he couldn't think of any beast-shifters that still existed that would sleep so profoundly. This then led Jongho to realize that he had no idea what type of beast-shifter Mingi was.

Once Mingi washed up, the boys made their way to the common area where they ate breakfast. Mingi noticed that the rest of the Choi family were now referring to him in a much more casual manner. This made Mingi's heartache with homesickness, but he was grateful that the stuffy formalities no longer existed in their conversations.

"Mingi- _hyung_ , what kind of beast are you?" Jongho's younger brother asked, beating Jongho to the punch.

The table suddenly became quiet as the young boy spoke. It was deemed rude to ask this to a beast-shifter. Because of their persecution, beast-shifter were extremely secretive about their identity and never revealed their other form to those they did not know well. However, Mingi felt that this family only wished the best for him, seeing how kindly he had been treated. Before Lady Choi could scold her son, Mingi answered.

"I am a wolf. Look at my eyes if you want proof," Mingi replied kindly, taking off the necklace Prince Hongjoong gave him.

The illusion lifted and now his eyes were the same golden eyes the rest of his family had. All the members of the Choi family looked closely as the youngest could not hide his admiration.

" _Waaaaah_! Your eyes are _gold_!" he exclaimed excitedly, causing Mingi's heart to soften as a laugh escaped him.

"Thank you, Second Young Master," Mingi replied with a sheepish smile.

Mingi then put the necklace back on before the conversation went back to mundane day-to-day topics. Once they were done eating, Mingi and Jongho made their way to the fabric shop to see if Mrs. Kwon had somehow finished both garments. They both had their doubts as just one set of robes was already a time-consuming project to work on, let alone two. However, they still had to try.

"Good morning, Mrs. Kwon," Jongho said upon entering the shop.

Mrs. Kwon, like the previous day, sat behind the counter as she wrote away on what could have been a book to keep track of the shop's sales and expenses. She looked up happily at the two boys in front of her and greeted them.

"I have left the two sets of robes folded in the fitting room for you to try on, Song Mingi- _ssi_ ," Mrs. Kwon said, urging him to go change.

Mingi went back to the fitting room and first tried on the dark blue robes. He looked in the mirror with shock as he realized that, for once in his life, he looked presentable despite the unruly hair. Mingi stepped back out to the front to show Mrs. Kwon how it fit. She inspected it and found that she made the robes perfectly.

"No adjustments need to be done on this one. Now go try on the uniform," Mrs. Kwon said excitedly.

Mingi did as he was told and tried on the uniform. The black and silver uniform was identical to Jongho's, save for the gold sash wrapped across his waist. Because all his clothes looked the same, he never really thought about his appearance. Now, he sees himself in a different light.

Mingi stepped back out to the front of the shop where Mrs. Kwon and Jongho were conversing. As soon as Mrs. Kwon looked toward Mingi she exclaimed excitedly.

"What a handsome young man! I have to say, I really have outdone myself with this one," Mrs. Kwon joked before inspecting Mingi's robes.

These, too, were made perfectly, causing Mrs. Kwon fo buzz with excitement.

"Mrs. Kwon, are you sure you are not a wizard? Can a regular human being possess such skill?" Jongho praised.

"Oh, you are really too much, Young Master Choi," Mrs. Kwon replied abashedly though she couldn't help the pride she felt by having her talents recognized by one of the Keepers of the village.

"Oh! I have just remembered!" Mrs. Kwon exclaimed as she hurried back to the counter and seemed to be sifting through different boxes to find something.

In the end, Mrs. Kwon pulled out two long ribbons, one black and one gold.

"These are for you, Song Mingi- _ssi_. A man cannot be going about with such fine robes and have his hair so messy," Mrs Kwon spoke as she handed Mingi the ribbons.

Mingi thanked Mrs. Kwon before going back to the fitting room to get his new and old robes. As he did so, Jongho paid for the robes and listened to Mrs. Kwon ramble about how a man should mind his appearance. Once Mingi stepped back out, still wearing the uniform, the pair bid Mrs. Kwon farewell and made their way back to the Choi residence. Jongho had told his family that they would be leaving as soon as they picked up the robes they had asked for. Upon arriving, they quickly made their way to Jongho's room where they packed up their things into two magic bags Lady Choi had prepared for them. Once they were done packing, they stashed their bags away in their pockets and grabbed their weapons.

When they entered the common area of the Choi household, they were greeted with every member of the Choi family including uncles and cousins as well as family members that they were still unsure of how exactly they were related but treated them the same as the rest. Lady Han was also there conversing with one of Jongho's aunts.

" _Wah_ , when you said Jongho's friend was tall, you were not joking!" one of Jongho's cousins exclaimed.

"And he's handsome!" another one of his cousins exclaimed.

The family began to bid the boys farewell when Lady Choi looked at Mingi's hair with disapproval.

"Tell me, boy, did Mrs. Kwon give you any ribbons for that hair?" Lady Choi asked.

"Oh! Yes, she did!" Mingi replied, digging through his bag for the ribbons.

He took the ribbons out and showed them to Lady Choi. Immediately, Lady Choi instructed Mingi to sit down and took the gold ribbon from Mingi's hand. Meanwhile, the rest of the Choi family were absorbed in their own conversations as one of Jongho's aunts pinched his cheeks and rambled on about how much he had grown.

Lady Choi explained what she was doing to Mingi as she brushed his hair and took the front section and tied it into a ponytail with the gold ribbon. The excess of the ribbon flowed down his hair, giving him a refined look. She then ensured that the hair at the front that was too short to be tied by the ponytail remained out of his face.

"Now you look like a proper Protector of Beonhwa Village," Lady Choi said proudly as Mingi stood up again.

After the second series of goodbyes, Mingi and Jongho finally departed. They made their way out of Beonhwa Village, receiving many stares from the people around that were admiring the two handsome men as the left the village. Once out of the village, a sinking feeling made its way to Jongho's heart as reality set in. Mingi's arrival had distracted him for long enough to sulk about having to leave the village he loved so much, and now that they were on their way, the feeling was inescapable. Even so, he marched on, map in hand and trusted werewolf by his side to protect him.


	12. The Two Princes

Several days had come and gone since Hongjoong and Seonghwa left the Sunless Mountain. They had already absentmindedly passed Beonhwa Village with the help of the horses Seonghwa had taken from his palace's stables and were now taking a break at a small clearing where the trees blocked the afternoon sun. Hongjoong sat by a small fire and cooked fish from a nearby stream while Seonghwa fed the horses an assortment of vegetables they had picked up along the way.

" _Wa_ , look at the color on that!" Hongjoong exclaimed, holding up a cooked fish on a stick.

Hongjoong then placed the fish on a large leaf on his lap and began eating with much gusto.

Seonghwa watched with great amusement and a hint of disgust as Hongjoong happily ate his meal.

"Are you sure you don't want any? I caught quite a bit of fish, so there should be enough for you," Hongjoong asked between mouthfuls of fish.

"I'm sure," Seonghwa replied as he watched Hongjoong pull a minuscule bone out of his mouth.

Hongjoong shrugged and kept eating absentmindedly. Meanwhile, Seonghwa finished feeding the horses and began searching through his magic bag. He sat beside Hongjoong as he pulled out a flask and began drinking the contents. Hongjoong recognized the smell and felt his skin crawl. He never did get used to seeing vampires feed even if it was done as discreetly as his sworn brother was doing.

"How long until we reach Misty Hollow?" Seonghwa asked nonchalantly, not oblivious to Hongjoong's discomfort.

"Five more days without stopping," Hongjoong answered, doing his best to focus on the fish on his lap.

Seonghwa hummed in acknowledgment before taking a few gulps from the flask and putting it away. He closed his eyes and leaned back against the boulder behind him, enjoying the sounds of nature as Hongjoong picked at the fish to avoid swallowing a bone. Death by fishbone was not at all suitable for a prince of his prestige.

Close to an hour had passed before Hongjoong finally finished his meal. He stood up and rushed to the stream to rid his hands of the fish smell when he heard voices a fair distance away. They seemed to be heading to the direction of his and Seonghwa's camp, but they were still much too far for human ears to catch. They would more than likely reach the campsite by nightfall, and by then, Hongjoong and Seonghwa would be long gone.

What Hongjoong did not anticipate was that two of those voices belonged to two rather crafty wizards that were able to use their magic to make their presence seem further away than it was. When Hongjoong returned to the campsite, Seonghwa, who had fallen asleep with the relaxing sounds of the wind and trees, stood wide awake next to the horses. He had put out the fire while Hongjoong was gone and scattered the logs and ashes with the stick Hongjoong had used for the fish.

"We will have visitors by nightfall. There is no need to rush," Hongjoong spoke leisurely, petting the horse that was kind enough to act as his steed.

"None of them smell like humans. They might be closer than we think," Seonghwa replied glancing at the directions the voices were coming from.

"Your Highness, you're being quite paranoid," Hongjoong mocked.

"Well, pardon me, Your Highness, for having the least bit of a sense of self-preservation," Seonghwa retorted in the same mocking tone.

Just as Hongjoong was about to reply, the voices that had seemed so far away just a few minutes ago became much clearer.

"Maybe they have food!" a high-pitched, sweet-sounding voice exclaimed.

"We wouldn't need to ask strangers for food if you hadn't eaten everything your family packed for us!" a slightly deeper voice chided.

"Pointing fingers at one another will get us nowhere, especially since all of us are guilty for our food shortage. Whether they are willing to help or not, we won't know until we meet them," a voice, a fair bit deeper than the other two reasoned.

Seonghwa and Hongjoong gave each other a look before visibly relaxing. The owners of the voices seemed to mean no harm. In fact, they seemed to be quite childish and inexperienced with traveling.

The voices seemed to have quieted down to a series of mumbles before three men and an obscenely large elk appeared in front of Hongjoong and Seonghwa from behind the trees. The one with black and purple robes and the one with white and gold robes looked to the right as they stared intently at the one with his hair loose.

"Me?" the last man mouthed to his two companions in disdain before stepping forward with a nervous smile.

"Hello, Young Masters. My friends and I were traveling along these woods, and have run into a bit of a problem. All the food we packed is gone, and we haven't been able to find anything of sustenance yet. Would you, by chance, have any to spare?" the man said politely, the nervous smile never leaving his face.

While San introduced them, Yeosang studied the two strangers in front of them. One of them had a cascade of white—almost silver—hair and wore some simple yet very elegant blue and white robes. The silver rings on his fingers gleamed brightly with the one on his right-hand pinky shining the brightest. This last ring was embedded with small crystals around the band, piquing Yeosang's interest.

_This man is from the Glass Kingdom_ , Yeosang thought before looking to the man beside him.

The other man wore red and black robes, the usual colors worn by the vampires of the Sunless Mountain. The man was facing down and wore nothing to indicate that he was of particularly high standing. The lack of extravagance did not phase Yeosang as he quickly came to an alarming conclusion. An elf from the Glass Kingdom with a seemingly high standing and a vampire of the Sunless Mountain stood together before him.

_Oh_ , Yeosang thought gravely, _this is going to be interesting_.

"It's been a long time since anyone's ever seen a single wizard traveling around, yet we've been lucky enough to see two," Hongjoong said as he studied the three fellows before him, "and judging by the direction you are coming from, you both must be from Misty Hollow."

The two wizards looked at each other incredulously before speaking up.

"You're quite sharp, Young Master!" Wooyoung exclaimed excitedly while Yeosang seemed to have paled.

"Ah, that's not the case. I'm just a bit observant is all," Hongjoong said before turning to Yeosang.

"You're an elf, and judging by the color of your robes, you must be from the Woodland Tower, and a prince if the gold jewelry on your ear is of any indication," Hongjoong spoke confidently as Yeosang inwardly cursed at himself for not having put on a disguise of some sort.

"You're quite perceptive, Young Master," Yeosang replied politely, swallowing back nerves.

"Ah! You were looking for food, right? There is a stream nearby where I caught some fish. That's all the food I can give, I'm afraid," Hongjoong replied before opening his magic bag and pulling out three bundles of leaves which he used to store the fish.

"My brother here was kind enough to let me use some salt he carries around to ensure that the food stays fresh, so it shouldn't be a problem if you are unable to eat them right away," Hongjoong said.

"Thank you, Young Master! We may have starved if it wasn't for your kindness!" Wooyoung exclaimed with a bright smile as he took the fish from Hongjoong.

"Thank you, Young Master!" San repeated before he, Wooyoung, and Hongjoong got into a conversation about fish, completely oblivious to Yeosang's plight.

Seonghwa, however, was not oblivious as he watched Yeosang fidgeting as he looked at the exchange between Hongjoong and the two wizards. Seonghwa straightened up as he continued staring, the movement causing Yeosang to look back at the red eyes that watched him cautiously.

_I knew it! Just our luck!_ Yeosang exclaimed to himself.

"Prince of the Woodland Tower, you seem to be the one that urged your friends to greet us yet you seem quite uneasy. Why?" Seonghwa called out, causing the wizards and Hongjoong to completely quiet down and look at the two who had been very quiet throughout the whole exchange.

Ignoring the vampire's words, San spoke out upon hearing his accent.

"Are you from the countryside, Young Master?" San blurted out before getting elbowed on his side by an embarrassed Wooyoung.

"Countryside?" Hongjoong laughed out.

"Ah, sorry. Just as you said, we are from Misty Hollow, so we don't really get out much," San replied abashedly.

"No offense was taken," Hongjoong reassured before turning to Seonghwa.

"Be nice to these men! They clearly mean no harm," Hongjoong scolded.

"They seem harmless, but this situation is quite odd. What is a prince from the Woodland Tower doing in Misty Hollow? And how is it that two wizards are traveling with him when a wizard hasn't been wandering around in years?" Seonghwa asked as Wooyoung gave Yeosang a confused look.

While Seonghwa glanced away from them, Yeosang quickly gestured to his own eyes before Wooyoung looked up at Seonghwa. Wooyoung's complexion paled as he realized who he had run into.

"These questions seem quite invasive. It's none of our business what these men are doing," Hongjoong responded as his sworn brother's behavior began to annoy him.

"In times like this, everything is my business," Seonghwa replied causing Hongjoong's expression to sour.

San, who had been too busy being embarrassed, grew confused as he watched the exchange.

"Why we're traveling is not something we can disclose. However, if you are both on your way to Misty Hollow, I can give you a few tips if you want to speak to the Grandmas— AH! What was that for?!" San started before being very harshly elbowed on the side by Wooyoung.

"You know the Grandmaster?" Hongjoong asked excitedly as Wooyoung and Yeosang looked at Seonghwa with worry.

"Ye— Stop doing that, you idiot!" San replied before his side was once again abused by Wooyoung's elbow.

" _I'm_ the idiot?!" Wooyoung whisper-yelled at San.

"His friend seems a little mean, but this man's aura is really good!" San explained to Wooyoung as he pointed at Hongjoong.

Hongjoong looked at San incredulously with amusement shining in his eyes. No one had ever pointed at him so casually before.

"Just as he said. This friend's aura seems very good!" Hongjoong said, gesturing towards San before introducing himself.

"I am Prince Hongjoong of the Glass Kingdom. You are?" Hongjoong greeted San kindly as Wooyoung and Yeosang felt themselves slowly dying inside.

Seonghwa scoffed at how friendly Hongjoong was being. He knew Hongjoong was not at all oblivious to the other two's nervousness. Seonghwa knew his sworn brother well. He definitely had a plan.

"I am Choi San of Misty Hollow! My brother here is Jung Wooyoung, heir to the Grandmaster title of Misty Hollow, and that fellow over there is our friend Kang Yeosang, Prince of the Woodland Tower," San explained.

Wooyoung and Yeosang cringed as San completely exposed them to two potentially dangerous people. Both of them had hoped to not run into anyone from either the Sunless Mountain or any of the large human kingdoms on their journey as it could make things a hell of a lot more complicated than they already were.

"Ah, I see! So you are related to the Grandmaster? That must mean that you are able to answer some of our questions," Hongjoong spoke to Wooyoung, who had felt his soul leave his body upon being addressed.

"What business do you have with my grandfather?" Wooyoung asked, trying his best to seem confident.

"Surely, the wizards of Misty Hollow are not oblivious to the war, and with your grandfather being so wise, we thought he'd be the best person for us to seek counsel," Hongjoong answered as Seonghwa glared at him.

"Counsel? You are seeking advice from the Grandmaster, Your Highnesses?" Yeosang asked carefully.

"Yes, Prince Yeosang, and I'm sure that is the reason you were at Misty Hollow," Hongjoong replied.

"Well, I am sorry to disappoint you both, but Misty Hollow will remain neutral in this war. Favors will not be given to vampires or humans on the subject of war," Wooyoung spoke sternly to both of them before his gaze landed on Seonghwa.

"I see. Does that mean that the Woodland Tower will remain neutral as well?" Hongjoong asked Yeosang, unfazed by Wooyoung's words.

"I have not had contact with my father, so I cannot give you an absolute answer at the moment. However, I do believe that the Woodland Tower will follow in Misty Hollow's footsteps. I'm sure the Grandmaster will advise the Glass Kingdom to remain neutral as well," Yeosang spoke eloquently.

His nerves had not died down, but seeing Wooyoung's confidence when addressing the two princes before them gave him a little more courage to address them.

"I suppose it would be of no use to go all the way to Misty Hollow to be told the same thing then," Hongjoong sighed out before continuing.

"Come, Brother. Let us head back to the Sunless Mountain," Hongjoong said as he mounted his horse, "His Majesty won't be happy that we've returned empty-handed, but I'm sure he'll find the tale of two wizards and an elvish prince wandering around with no clear reason rather amusing."

Seonghwa copies Hongjoong's movements and held back a smile upon understanding what his brother was up to.

San, who had been listening intently the entire time, quickly picked up on Prince Hongjoong's subtext.

_So_ that _was your plan! Sneaky bastard..._ San thought to himself before speaking up.

"You're quite clever, Prince Hongjoong," San said pensively as Wooyoung and Yeosang gave him a confused look.

"Clever? That's rather kind of you Young Master Choi, but I am simply just stating my humble opinion. King Park may seem like a very serious man, but he does find quite a lot of enjoyment hearing anecdotes of our travels," Hongjoong replied with the type of smile that made Seonghwa's skin crawl.

_Regardless of how pure and down-to-earth a prince may seem, a royal is still a royal_ , Seonghwa thought as he looked at his brother's expression.

"What my brother says is true. My father would surely find this story very fascinating. After all, it's very rare to see a prince of the Woodland Tower—aside from the Crown Prince— stray so far from home. Not to mention that his companions are two wizards, one of them being the Grandmaster's heir. I'm sure he'll be very curious to know what matter is so urgent that the Grandmaster sends his own heir out into a world in which he has shielded his people from for many years," Seonghwa added.

Yeosang and Wooyoung's usually light tan complexions became as white as the dead upon hearing Seonghwa's words. They had both figured out what the two princes were doing and became frustrated. If they let the two princes go, they would risk leading King Park's attention to the Jewel of Starlight. Though it was a human's actions that led them to the point they are at now, the world was a terrifying place where greed was not limited to a single species. If King Park found out about the jewel and decided that he wanted it for himself, there was little the wizards of Misty Hollow could do to stop him.

"If that is all, then we'll be on our way," Hongjoong said as he turned his horse around and started to head back to the Sunless Mountain with Seonghwa following in his footsteps.

Wooyoung gave San a frantic look before the latter disappeared and reappeared in front of Hongjoong and Seonghwa, causing the two princes to stop dead in their tracks. 

San looked up at the two men before saying, "It's rather rude to leave in the middle of a conversation, Your Highnesses."

_This fellow truly is scary. One minute he looks like the friendliest man to ever grace the world and the next he looks like he could be the king of the underworld_ , Seonghwa thought as he looked down at San whose once smiling face was replaced with a dark, almost playful gleam in his eyes.

Soon, Yeosang, Wooyoung, and the elk appeared next to San with solemn expressions.

"Ah, forgive me. I was under the impression that the conversation was over," Hongjoong spoke innocently at the three figures, two of which seemed to be glaring up at him.

Wooyoung thought silently for a moment before assessing what he needed to do in this situation.

"As my grandfather's heir, anything you may wish to ask my grandfather in regards to this war, I am sure I could answer. I will do so truthfully if you do not speak a word of us or the information you are to receive," Wooyoung bargained.

"Fair enough. Anything else?" Seonghwa replied.

"There is something else," San spoke up before Wooyoung could close the deal with Seonghwa.

"And what might that be, Young Master Choi?" Hongjoong asked seriously as everyone looked at San curiously.

"If my brother is able to answer all of your questions, you both must swear an oath stating that you will both agree to accompany us on our journey," San spoke with a sort of gravity in his voice that seemed almost unnatural compared to his usually laidback personality.

Yeosang and Wooyoung immediately looked at San like he had grown a second head. They did not understand his logic and found that the more they thought about it, the more ridiculous the idea seemed.

Seonghwa himself thought that this request was rather strange, especially when considering the nature of oaths made with wizards. However, though the man before him seemed a bit ridiculous, Seonghwa knew that he would not make such a request without reason. It was at this moment when he understood all the stories surrounding the cunning nature of wizards.

"Then, I swear to you, Choi San and Jung Wooyoung of Misty Hollow and Prince Kang Yeosang of the Woodland Tower, that I, Crown Prince Park Seonghwa, will accompany you on your journey if Jung Wooyoung is able to answer all of my and my sworn brother's questions," Seonghwa declared as everyone aside from San looked at Seonghwa in shock.

Hongjoong recited the oath as well before a sharp feeling pierced all five men's right thumbs. Drops of blood formed on the small punctures on their thumbs before the drops floated in the air and connected to form a small gem much like ruby but darker due to the black vampire blood that was used to create it.

"I, Choi San of Misty Hollow, declare myself as the guardian of this oath unless anyone dares to object," San declared.

A few seconds passed before the stone flew to San outstretched hand. San pulled out a necklace with a small glass jar attached to it from his magic bag before he placed the stone inside and put the necklace on. He tucked the necklace into his robes before looking back at the rest of the men.

"There is an inn a little more than an hour away in the direction you are headed. Let's have our discussion there," Seonghwa said before urging his horse forward, the rest following.

**Meanwhile...**

The days passed calmly and quietly in Silent Peak. The residents only lived there out of necessity, and though they were grateful to the mountain for keeping them safe, they could not deny how absolutely boring it was to be confined to a complex maze of mines they had already memorized. To combat the boredom, once every few months, the Hunters would lead the sleuth down the mountain to give them a break from their cramped quarters. Though the sleuth was small compared to the great kingdoms of Gudae, the Hunters always separated them into groups. One group would go down the mountain with the Hunters for some time while the others stayed in the mines and waited their turn.

However, there was one group that the Hunters took down the mountain more frequently than the others. Because they were the leaders of their community, they had a hefty load of jobs to do. One of these jobs was to train the children of the sleuth in hopes that someday they will be Hunters themselves. Though not everyone could be a Hunter, they were trained all the same. Like children from decent cities or kingdoms, the cubs of Silent Peak were able to experience being a disciple to the leaders of their realm. This gave the children a sense of normalcy as they grew up. Though as kids, they would not think too much of living in a mine, they would soon grow and learn the ways of the world. They would eventually realize that their experience is quite unique. Keeping a Master-Disciple relationship with the Hunters allowed them to feel as though they were not so different from other kids of the world.

With all of these types of outings, the Hunters were always tasked with the job of ensuring that the mines were secure. The Hunters choose one day out of the year to scour the winding tunnels of the mines for any traps that may need repairing. Before the Jewel of Starlight was stolen, the beast-shifters of Silent Peak had a good relationship with the wandering wizards of the world. Because of this, many of their wizard friends set traps and spells that would help keep intruders out of the mines. Nowadays, these traps were used as a security measure for the small group of beast-shifters that were left.

"Park Jihyun, you will be in charge of the sleuth while we're gone. You know what to do if anything happens," Seokmin said to one of the women of the sleuth.

Park Jihyun was the same girl who had offered to skin the deer Yunho and Seokmin caught a few days ago. She was the strongest woman in the den, her strength only second to Yunho. In fact, had she been a few years older, she would have been elected as one of the Hunters by the elders. However, she was too young when Yunho and Seokmin got elected, meaning that she would have to wait for the next election if she wanted to be one of the Hunters. Nonetheless, she was never bitter towards Seokmin and respected him in the same way she respected Yunho.

"Yes, Hunter Seokmin!" Park Jihyun responded firmly.

Meanwhile, Yunho was busy trying to explain to one of the cubs why only he and Seokmin would be leaving.

"We are just going to go around the mine and make sure all our traps are working. You could get hurt, and it's very boring!" Yunho reasoned to the little girl clinging to his leg.

"I won't get hurt! I am very strong! I want to go with Hunter Yunho!" the little girl countered with a huff, looking up at Yunho with determination.

Park Jihyun, seeing her little sister pestering one of the Hunters, unglued the girl from Yunho's leg as the little girl struggled. Park Jihyun reprimanded her sister and bid farewell to the Hunters.

With that, Yunho and Seokmin left their living space in the mines and commenced their journey to find any broken traps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I promise Yunho will get an actual full-length chapter of his own at some point!! It just doesn't seem appropriate to add such a chapter at this point, so that's why that shift in setting towards the end exists.


	13. The Snoring Steed Inn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING:
> 
> There's gonna be some blood in this chapter. That section of the chapter is quite violent, so please refrain from reading it if you don't feel comfy with that.
> 
> As always, "**" marks the beginning and end of the graphic section described above.

Chatter filled the dining space of the Snoring Steed Inn as the many guests and workers watched five dashing young men enter. The crowd watched as an elf with an ice-cold appearance walked up to the reception desk with the four other men close behind him.

"The small one must be the leader. How adorable!" a person with masterfully applied makeup and an elegant gown mused.

"Small? _Hyung_ , if he is small, then what are you?" a younger, more masculine version of the man mocked.

While the brothers bickered, Hongjoong asked for five rooms, almost giving the poor receptionist a heart attack. Many of the guests within hearing distance also seemed to choke on their wines upon hearing this.

"Will the rooms be paid separately?" the receptionist asked, incapable of believing that a single person could afford five rooms in the infamous Snoring Steed Inn.

The inn was neither in the best condition nor did it boast great service, but it was the only inn around, allowing the owners to keep the costs of rooms rather high compared to most inns. Even the richest nobles chose to share rooms to cut costs.

"Ah, that sounds like too much of a hassle. The rooms will all be paid together," Hongjoong replied nonchalantly, causing the jaws of those that were already flabbergasted to drop even further.

"I-I see. The rooms on the second floor are five silver coins, so that would be a total of twenty-five silver coins for all the rooms," the receptionist stuttered in disbelief before explaining.

Hongjoong frowned upon hearing this. _Second floor? I could've sworn there was a third floor?_ Hongjoong thought.

"What about the third floor? Are there no rooms available?" Hongjoong asked.

By this point, every guest and worker in the inn's dining space was silent. They couldn't believe a person who could spend twenty-five silver coins so casually actually existed. Many, who had only been watching passively for the men's' good looks suddenly became extremely interested and hung onto every word the silver-haired elf spoke.

"Th-third floor, Young Master? We do have rooms available, but they are quite expensive. I'm sure you come from a very good family, but each room on the third floor is ten silver coins. Isn't that quite a lot?" the receptionist said, fear creeping up as they wondered what kind of man this person was.

"Surely, that will humble him," the younger of the two brothers whispered as quietly as he could while the older watched intently.

Being elves, Hongjoong and Yeosang heard the boy perfectly, causing Yeosang to lift an eyebrow and for a rather mischievous smirk to grace Hongjoong's features.

_As if the Prince of the Glass Kingdom couldn't afford the entire property— stables and all_ , Yeosang scoffed to himself.

"So that will be fifty silver coins, correct? Would it not be easier for you if I gave you five gold coins instead?" Hongjoong asked as the receptionist tried their best to keep themselves from gasping like the rest of the people present in the dining hall.

"Are you sure, Young Master?" the receptionist blurted out.

"Of course. It is only right that we treat our new friends kindly, right Brother?" Hongjoong replied, turning to Seonghwa with what looked like an innocent smile to those that didn't know any better.

Seonghwa rolled his eyes before retrieving five gold coins from his magic bag and handing them to the receptionist. Though he certainly did not have a shortage of gold coins, Seonghwa still wished his sworn brother wasn't so keen on spending his money so frivolously.

Seeing this, the elder and more pretty of the two brothers hummed in understanding before whispering to his brother.

"This makes more sense. His lover is just filthy rich! No wonder why he could spend so easily."

Yeosang held back a laugh upon hearing the beautifully decorated man's words. He looked toward Hongjoong whose face paled. His expression had not changed much but his eyes clearly showed disgust.

Hongjoong slightly shivered as his body became covered in goosebumps. _What kind of person does this wretched creature think I am to think that I would choose Seonghwa to involve myself with romantically?! How dare they?! I actually have_ taste! Hongjoong thought to himself indignantly.

"You idiot. He said 'brother'!" the younger brother whispered back, healing Hongjoong's pride a bit.

"Ah, that's right. I was so distracted by my own fantasy to even notice," the older brother replied with a dreamy expression.

Once the receptionist gave the last of the five keys to San, who had been incredulously watching the exchange with Wooyoung, the five men made their way to the third floor. It was not nearly as impressive as it should have been, considering the price, but it was still much better than the second floor if the cleaner hallway was any indication. Before any of them could enter their rooms, Seonghwa spoke up to Hongjoong, who had been avoiding him after hearing the comment from the man in the gown.

"Why did you make _me_ pay for the rooms? You have more than enough coins to pay," Seonghwa grumbled, glaring at Hongjoong.

"It's _your_ kingdom that is directly involved with this quest, so it's only fair that _you_ pay for everything," Hongjoong retorted.

In response, Seonghwa slapped Hongjoong's arm and huffed before going into his room. _Very, very sneaky_ , Seonghwa thought. During this entire exchange, Seonghwa failed to notice the two wizards and the Woodland elf that stared at him in complete shock.

_Is this the same intimidating person from before?_ Wooyoung thought to himself.

Hongjoong noticed their expressions before explaining, "I guess that with the red eyes and the thick eyebrows he looks intimidating, but he's actually quite docile once you get to know him."

"Ah. Could we say the same for you?" Wooyoung joked.

Hongjoong laughed before replying in a cheerful tone, "No. You have every reason to fear me."

Wooyoung, San, and Yeosang watched as Hongjoong entered his room. Too many shocking things had happened to them that day for them to even be surprised by either of their two new companions by that point.

"We've dug our graves, haven't we?" Wooyoung sulked.

"Why do you say that?" San asked just as the two brothers from the dining space appeared.

"Let's talk in my room," Yeosang said upon seeing the two men.

The three of them entered Yeosang's room and sat at the small table at the back of the room.

"What do you think will happen if I can't answer all their questions?" Wooyoung asked nervously.

"You will be able to answer all their questions," Yeosang answered matter-of-factly.

"How do you know? And why did _you_ make us do that oath with them?! Are you crazy?! Did you drink some of Grandfather's special wine before we left?!" Wooyoung replied before berating San.

"He's an elf, so he senses things. And I think you should be thanking me for saving us from any potential competition!" San huffed.

"What do you mean 'potential competition'?" Yeosang asked, seeing as Wooyoung was far too busy glaring at San to react.

"As you said, Wooyoung is definitely going to be able to answer their questions. He's the Grandmaster's heir meaning he has been following the Grandmaster around and being his apprentice since the day he was born. And just as you have that elf sense, so does Prince Hongjoong. Even if he was by himself, he would be able to tell if Wooyoung lied. On top of that, Crown Prince Seonghwa seemed to have picked up on things very easily, so he would also be able to tell if Wooyoung lies," San explained.

"Why would I lie about anything?" Wooyoung asked.

"Do you think they know about the jewel?" Yeosang asked after some thought.

Yeosang figured that the wizards knew nothing more about the war than the vampires did aside from the jewel. If Prince Hongjoong and Crown Prince Seonghwa somehow knew that the jewel existed, then it could potentially be used to benefit the vampires. _Wa, San might just be more terrifying than either of the two princes combined_ , Yeosang thought in complete awe of his new friend.

"I don't think they know, but they wouldn't have to try hard to figure out that something else is going on. They are most definitely going to ask us what we are traveling for, and since we can't lie without being caught, we would have no choice but to tell them about the jewel. The only way we could keep them from escaping with the jewel is if we force them to stay with us. They can't try anything if they are being watched," San said as Wooyoung's eyes shone with understanding.

"So the oath was to protect the jewel!" Wooyoung stated incredulously.

"Exactly! Your _hyung_ is very smart," San boasted.

" _Hyung_?! Who's _hyung_ are you?!" Wooyoung exclaimed before going to beat up San.

Before Yeosang could separate the two, a light knock interrupted the fighting scene.

"Young Masters, the Young Master from the room beside you has requested your presence," one of the workers from downstairs spoke from outside.

"Crown Prince Seonghwa's room," Yeosang said more to himself rather than anyone else before going to the door and thanking the worker.

The worker, who seemed to have been starstruck by the young prince, bowed and left. Yeosang and the two quarreling wizards stepped out of their room and went into Crown Prince Seonghwa's room. There they were greeted by Crown Prince Seonghwa and Prince Hongjoong as well as a myriad of different drinks and dishes.

"You have yet to eat, correct?" Seonghwa asked the three standing men before gesturing for them to take a seat.

Seonghwa and Hongjoong sat beside each other as the wizards and woodland elf sat in front of them at the small table. Wooyoung, who sat in the middle, felt the same feeling he usually felt when he sat across from his grandfather to receive a scolding.

"Hurry and eat. We don't have many questions though I'm sure the responses for them will take some time to explain," Hongjoong said as he used chopsticks to get a piece of meat from a large plate in the middle of the table.

Before Hongjoong could shove the piece of meat in his mouth, Seonghwa slapped his arm. Hongjoong gave Seonghwa a startled look as he continued to clutch onto the meat tightly.

"The food is for them, not for you! You ate already!" Seonghwa scolded.

"Do you seriously think I could get full on just that fish?!" Hongjoong retorted as he shoved the piece of meat in his mouth and began to chew it loudly out of spite.

Yeosang, San, and Wooyoung watched with apprehensive amusement. None of them could believe that they ever found the two intimidating in the first place.

"At least thank me for the food!" Seonghwa huffed out, glaring at Hongjoong.

"Thank you for the food!" Hongjoong mocked as he picked up another piece of meat.

The three that sat across from the bickering pair also thanked Seonghwa for the food before digging in. Though all three had been trained to be able to go a few days without food, that didn't mean they would decline it when it was offered. As the elves and wizards ate, Seonghwa excused himself for a moment before heading out. Yeosang, Wooyoung, and San gave Hongjoong a confused look, prompting the latter to explain.

"It's been a few days since he's eaten. He's just going to find food," Hongjoong said nonchalantly.

"Couldn't he just order some, uh, _food_ from the inn?" San asked awkwardly.

"He asked the inn worker who summoned you all here, but the inn didn't have any. Vampires aren't particularly avid travelers, so not many inns keep stock," Hongjoong replied.

A cold shiver went up Yeosang, San, and Wooyoung's spines. None of them were very used to being around a vampire, and although they knew what it was that vampires nourished themselves with, they felt that it was much different when faced with that reality. The idea that they were speaking of human beings and referring to them as food really didn't sit well with any of them.

"Then how is he going to find food?" Yeosang asked, feeling his appetite dwindle though forcing himself to eat nonetheless.

"He's going to find the warden of this town and ask if they have any criminals that need taking care of. That's usually how most vampires find food when they travel," Hongjoong explained.

"Oh. I wish him the best of luck in finding food, I guess," Wooyoung said awkwardly.

Not long after, Seonghwa showed up grasping the collar of a plump man with a black bag over his head. Seeing the man with the bag over his head sent Wooyoung's mind into a panic.

_Is he going to kill him here?!_ Wooyoung thought to himself, horrified.

"Hongjoong, you don't mind sharing a room, do you?" Seonghwa asked as the man shook violently.

"Of course not," Hongjoong replied sarcastically, tossing his room key to Seonghwa.

Seonghwa caught the keys and left the room with the man struggling under his grasp. At this, Wooyoung sighed in relief. He didn't know what the man did to deserve such a painful death nor did he care to know. He was just glad he didn't have to witness his execution.

Hongjoong laughed at Wooyoung's reaction before saying to Wooyoung, "I truly believe you will be able to answer our questions considering how much faith your friend has in you, so now that we are all going to be stuck together, you better get used to watching him eat."

"We're going to have to watch him eat?!" Wooyoung blurted out incredulously.

"Of course. I sense there won't be many opportunities for him to go to a different room to eat, and it would be too dangerous for him to separate himself from everyone just to sustain himself. He is not the type that likes playing with his food or being messier than he needs to be, so his prey will likely be dead while he feasts on it when he's around us. Granted, no prey is ever willing so things might get a little messy nonetheless," Hongjoong explained.

_I sure am doing a whole lot of explaining today_ , Hongjoong thought.

Meanwhile, in what would have been Hongjoong's room, the bag that had been over the man's head was now gone as the man looked up at Seonghwa trembling in fear. Seonghwa had backed him up into a corner before ripping the bag off the man's head, meaning that the man had absolutely no hope of escaping.

"Please! I'm sorry for what I've done! Please spare me!" the man pleaded.

"Begging does not change the fact that you killed a child. The warden told me about your sins, so now I'm here to ensure that you pay for them. If you have any remorse, you will accept your fate diligently," Seonghwa spoke as his fangs and claws extended.

"What right does a foul creature like you have to make me pay for my sins?! You call me a murderer, so what does that make dirt like you?!" the man spat desperately.

The man had very quickly realized that the vampire would show him no sympathy, so he chose to instead find a way to talk his way out of the situation even if it meant insulting the vampire in front of him.

"I pay for my sins by not being able to eat the delicious food my friends get to eat. Trust me, eating the same thing for your entire life gets very old," Seonghwa replied as he seemed to be inspecting the claws on his right hand.

"Is a human life really worth the same to you as a bowl of rice?!" the man argued.

**"Yours is worth even less," Seonghwa said before puncturing a dime-sized hole on the side of the man's neck with one of his claws.

The man coughed up blood before collapsing, making a mess of the floor and Seonghwa's robes. _Oh well_ , Seonghwa thought before squatting down and grabbing one of the many flasks he owns from his magic bag and pressing it to the wound on the man's neck. Though the man was not dead yet, Seonghwa was grateful that he fainted. It made collecting blood much easier. Once the bleeding slowed down to a steady stream, Seonghwa closed and put away his flask before grabbing the man's arm and biting down on his wrist. Seonghwa fed on the man's blood until he was full. Seonghwa made sure the man was finally dead before wiping his mouth with his sleeve and leaving the room. Seonghwa alerted one of the inn's workers of the body in Hongjoong's room before heading back to his own room.**

Wooyoung paled as he looked up at Seonghwa whose robes were stained with fresh blood. A wand appeared in Wooyoung's hand out of thin air and he flicked it towards Seonghwa.

Seonghwa, who had barely any time to register Wooyoung's quick movements, looked down to find that the blood on his robes was disappearing. All but the wizards watched in awe as the once soiled robes became crisp and clean as if they had just been made the day before.

"That's quite a useful trick," Hongjoong complimented as Seonghwa sat down beside him.

"Makes my life much easier. Thank you, Wooyoung- _ssi_ ," Seonghwa added.

"There's no need to thank me. Seeing blood so casually gives me goosebumps," Wooyoung replied, rubbing his arms for emphasis.

San, who had started to feel a mix of boredom and exhaustion, sat up straighter and looked at Seonghwa with a serious expression.

"Now that we've all got full stomachs, shouldn't the questioning commence, Your Highness?" San urged rather than asked.

Seonghwa, whose eyes had been shining with kindness and holding a friendly gleam, stiffened and replied, "Ah, yes. If the Grandmaster's heir is ready, then I would like to begin asking questions now."

After cursing San mentally for having forced the questioning to begin, Wooyoung let the Crown Prince know that he was ready to answer any of his questions and waited for the first question to come.

Seonghwa thought for a while before speaking, "First, I would like for you to tell me Misty Hollow's stance in this war."

"Though my Grandfather has not explicitly expressed this, I can say with full confidence that Misty Hollow will remain neutral. We will not assist nor thwart either of the two sides involved," Wooyoung answered sternly.

Yeosang held a straight face as he watched this interaction. After Wooyoung answered, Yeosang noticed the small nod Prince Hongjoong did as if to confirm that the Grandmaster's heir was being truthful. Being an elf himself, Yeosang knew that that was what Prince Hongjoong was doing and felt an odd sense of relief. Seeing Prince Hongjoong act in a very elvish manner gave him some form of familiarity and relieved some of the homesickness he had been feeling. After this train of thought, Yeosang went back to focusing on the Crown Prince and Wooyoung.

"Good. Our intentions for seeing the Grandmaster were to get an objective perspective as we had assumed that Misty Hollow would choose neutrality. It is reassuring to have had that confirmed," Seonghwa explained before continuing.

"Next, I want you to tell me everything Misty Hollow knows of the war," Seonghwa ordered.

Wooyoung thought for a few seconds. The question, or command if Crown Prince Seonghwa's tone was anything to go by, was rather broad. 

"Well, I would assume you know more than we do. All I've gathered from following my Grandfather around and hearing a few things here and there is that humans have been accusing vampires of killing innocent people and that your people have been denying those claims. That's basically the cause of the war, is it not? Really, as far as the war goes, Misty Hollow doesn't know much," Wooyoung responded.

"I see," Seonghwa said thoughtfully.

"There are no major events going on in Gudae aside from the war. Seeing as you aren't lying, this situation is a bit strange," Hongjoong commented.

_Ah. He's going for it now_ , Seonghwa thought.

"How so?" Wooyoung asked in an almost defensive tone.

"I am absolutely certain you are not lying as both my brother and I would be able to tell, and I know you know that. Now, there is something Seonghwa pointed out back in the woods that I have not been able to stop thinking about: What exactly has driven the Grandmaster of the most isolated village in all of Gudae to send out his heir and a, clearly, very powerful wizard? And why are you two accompanied by a prince from the Woodland Tower?" Hongjoong retorted.

Yeosang gave Wooyoung a comforting pat on the shoulder after sensing the wizard's nerves. Yeosang was sure that Wooyoung had never had to confront two people with such powerful auras at the same time. On top of that, the poor boy was being cross-examined about something that was meant to be kept secret. No matter how much he could have prepared, Yeosang was sure that Wooyoung would have been nervous.

In true wizard fashion, Wooyoung gulped down his nerves and answered honestly. He explained to Seonghwa and Hongjoong everything his grandfather had told them about his interpretation of the war as well as the jewel.

"The Jewel of Starlight? How come I've never heard about it before? The Glass Kingdom is known for our expertise in jewels and crystals. I feel like this is something I should have known," Hongjoong said in a confused and slightly annoyed tone.

"All those that caught wind of the jewel's existence were killed by the thief and his descendants—that is, except for the wizards of Misty Hollow," Yeosang replied with certainty, this being the first time the two in front of him felt that he had spoken in a more commanding and princely manner.

"Yes. The jewel must also be why the wandering wizards stopped wandering. The founder must have known that anyone that knew of the jewel was being persecuted, so she gathered all the wizards and hid you all away in a hard-to-reach place. I always thought it was quite unsociable how the area surrounding Misty Hollow was filled with traps, but now I understand," Hongjoong spoke as he pieced the puzzle together in his head.

"Wait, Grandmaster never said anything about any persecution. Why do you speak so confidently, Prince Yeosang?" San asked.

"That jewel was the beast-shifters' protector. Of course, the beast-shifters would want to keep it hidden. This means that not many people would have known about the jewel from the very beginning. The thief would have known that the people seeking the jewel would try to get the jewel from him once they knew that he was the one that had it. Assuming he was working alone, the best way to ensure that the jewel would remain with him would be to eliminate those that knew of the jewel. The creator of the jewel must have known this and hid for a while as she gathered other wizards. You know better than anyone that if a wizard wants to be unseen, it will be as if their existence disappeared from this world. This could be absolutely possible, and I sense that that is how things went down," Yeosang explained.

"That _does_ make sense," Wooyoung said as he and San seemed to have nodded simultaneously in understanding.

"Ah! Prince Hongjoong, did you say there are traps around Misty Hollow? I think you are mistaken on that point. I did not encounter any traps when I went," Yeosang exclaimed after remembering that small detail.

"Your immediate family has unimpeded access to Misty Hollow. Had you gone with anyone else, you would have noticed the traps," Wooyoung explained.

"Oh. Then how come Fluffy wasn't stopped by one of the traps?" Yeosang asked.

"Fluffy?" Seonghwa questioned with his brows furrowed.

"The elk," Yeosang replied.

"Ah. I see," Seonghwa said with a smile, though his eyes seemed to have had a confused gleam.

"Hmm. I guess the traps thought that you and Fluffy are family," San said to Yeosang before muttering about letting the Grandmaster know that the traps might need updating.

"Oh. I can live with that thought. Fluffy's quite a good friend. Her attitude is much more agreeable than Crown Prince Sanghoon," Yeosang half-joked.

After Yeosang's small rant about Fluffy, the atmosphere in Seonghwa's room became quite relaxed. Although they had just met on that very day, it seemed as though all five of them had known each other for years. The only indicator that showed unfamiliarity was the use of formalities when speaking to each other.

Once all the boys seemed to have tired themselves out with their jokes and light conversation, Hongjoong instructed the three men sat before him to meet at the inn's dining space in the morning.

"We will have breakfast and then set off to the Silent Peak. Now leave. This poor old man needs his sleep," Hongjoong said, gesturing to Seonghwa towards the end.

The three men stood up after arranging the plates and cups on the table in such a way that it made it easier for them to be picked up by the inn's workers once they were gone. Yeosang, San, and Wooyoung all left to their rooms while the Crown Prince and Prince Hongjoong bickered about the prince's previous comment.

Once in his room, Yeosang took off his outer garments and laid down on the bed with a smile. He had a very good feeling about the group of men he was to be going on this adventure with. Not only were all of them very capable, but they all mixed well together and got along with him pretty well.

Meanwhile, in Seonghwa's room, Hongjoong and Seonghwa continued bickering at each other like always.

"What old man needs sleep? You? Do you need to sleep? I am a vampire! I sleep because I want to, so the only old man needing sleep is you!" Seonghwa huffed as he took off his outer garments and laid down on the bed.

"Well, if you don't need to sleep, then let me take the bed!" Hongjoong said as he grabbed Seonghwa's arm to pull him out of the bed.

"I am sleeping out of spite!" Seonghwa retorted, turning his back to Hongjoong very harshly.

This caused Hongjoong to fall onto the bed. Seeing that he was already on the bed, Hongjoong pushed Seonghwa as far away from him as he could without the latter falling off the bed before taking off his own outer garments and laying down. Soon both men fell asleep, following in the footsteps of the two wizards who had already crashed in their respective rooms.

•••

"Good morning," San said cheekily as Seonghwa and Hongjoong appeared in the inn's sparsely populated dining space.

Seonghwa and Hongjoong sat at the large table San had been sitting in by himself before one of the inn's worker's greeted them and asked them if they were ready to order.

"There are still a few people missing," San responded to the blushing young girl before she scurried away.

"It feels weird seeing you without your sworn brother," Seonghwa commented.

"Ah, don't worry. He'll be here in just a few seconds," San said ominously.

Sure enough, a begrudged looking Wooyoung trudged over to their table and sat beside San with a glare. His loose hair was wet, and he looked to have been simmering before boiling over.

" _Ya_ , Choi San! Do you know how scary it is to wake up to water splashing in your face out of nowhere?!" Wooyoung exclaimed in a shrill voice.

"So it was you who made that gust of air hit my face this morning!" Yeosang said, seeming to have appeared out of nowhere.

"You gave him wind and gave _me_ water?! Your own sworn brother?!" Wooyoung ranted before the worker from before emerged once again.

The group of five ordered their meal and carried on a light conversation and mild bickering as they waited. The group became quiet once the myriad of dishes arrived. The only sound coming from the table was the crisp clinking of the plates and utensils as all the men aside from Seonghwa ate. The men finished their food and set off after paying and retrieving their horses and Fluffy from the inn's stables.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. Me: *complains about how long updates take when reading BL*  
> Also me: *posts new chapters months apart*
> 
> 2\. As I was proofreading this chapter, I remembered some discourse on gender-neutral honorifics that can be used for nonbinary people, and I just thought that it'd be neat to use some with any of the nonbinary characters that show up in the series (basically, any character whose gender has not been specified is nonbinary). 
> 
> I think this is how they work, but I can't be too sure:
> 
> >If you are a man addressing an older nonbinary person, you say "형나/hyungna."
> 
> >If you are a woman addressing an older nonbinary person, you say "오니/Oni."
> 
> I'm not sure if there is a term nonbinary folks use for addressing a person older than them, so please let me know if you've heard of one (and maybe some sources where I can explore the matter further)!! 
> 
> Thanks for reading and sorry for the slow updates!!


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